The Bittersweet Failsafe
by lauramariadavis
Summary: All Evelyn Gilbert wanted was closure on her Fathers death; she never imagined that he had kept so many deep, dark secrets from her. He wanted to protect her from all of this but destiny had a different idea... Klaus/Evelyn, set in season 3: SPOILERS!
1. The Birthday

Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries, that includes all of the characters except for Evelyn/Evie Gilbert.**This story is set in season 3 so if you have not watched it yet then do not read this.**Oh, and I also don't own about 1/2 of the dialogue you will see in this story. I am trying to keep this as close to the actual show as possible whilst including my OC in to it, too. _I only own the twin doppelganger plot, the plots effects and her feelings for everybody and everybody's feelings for her - nothing else is mine_. TVD owns the rest of the storylines and characters.

...

Elena and Evelyn were just two months old when they were separated. Miranda and Grayson had been so worried that one of their two adopted baby girls had just disappeared. They spent their entire lives looking for her... But that obviously ended when they died in 2009. They told everyone in the town that Evelyn Gilbert was not to be mentioned to Elena or anyone that could possibly tell her... Little Evie had been kept a secret for a _very,_ very long time. Everyone thought she was dead.

They were wrong.

...

Today is Evie's eighteenth birthday.

Normally she would be overjoyed at the fact... But not today. She is alone; completely and utterly alone with her Father's last words running through her mind.

_If I am not back in a couple of the weeks then... Then I will probably be dead._

Those words had terrified her so much. The tears still blur her vision two months later. How could he have just left her and gone off to meet death like this? She does not know what to do or where to go. Who killed him...? What killed him? Was it her mother; she has always seemed very odd to Evie. Too secretive and almost sadistic; when she would visit she would always boss Jonathan Gilbert around and Evie hated her for it.

Despite that, she does not believe that her mother would kill her father. She made Evie's sixth sense more alert but she would not have killed him. They seemed to be a team of some sort; Isobel kept Evie a secret and John did what she asked. Why Evie had to be kept a secret from somebody she does not know. She wanted to ask but she had only found out about it as her Dad was arguing with a neighbour as he left.

The lonely Gilbert lets out a half-sigh, half-sob and rakes her hand through her chocolate brown hair. This summer vacation has made her feel so isolated from reality – she needs to get out and find her friends... if they still _want_ to be her friends, that is. No - what she really needs is some closer on her Dad, but where did he go? She stands up and heads up to his bedroom. Maybe searching around for the fifty-seventh time will help her discover something – anything – that will point out where he may have died.

She goes through the usual ritual now; starting off at the drawers and then the wardrobe. She proceeds to the bed and then the two side tables on each side - she even tries the floorboards to see if any are loose, to no avail. After over an hour of searching every little piece of the room from top-to-bottom she collapses on the bed in another wave of tears. She is crying to release all the confusion and anger and pain and disappointment she has received throughout her life. Confusion of why her Father kept running off every few months to 'go back home.' Disappointment as to why he would never take her or tell her exactly where that was. Anger because he is dead and she has no idea how or why... And pain because she has always felt a nagging sense of pain from a young age; almost as if a part of her was missing.

And finally, once the crying stops, she sits up and sets the bed so it looks perfect once more. On her way out she catches a glimpse of the familiar picture her Dad had on his chest of drawers ever since she can remember. She smiles slightly at the memory as it floods to the surface.

...

"_Daddy!" the beautiful four-year-old calls happily as he walks through the front door. Jonathan Gilbert catches his youngest daughter in his arms and spins her around; which sends her in to fits of giggles._

"_Hey, sweetheart! How are you?" He laughs happily._

"_Much better now!" She beams_

"_Hey, John." A seventeen-year-old Jenna steps out of the kitchen with a pleased smile on her face. John sets Evie on her feet before heading over and placing a soft kiss on Jenna's lips._

"_Has she been good?" He asks once the kiss is over._

"_Of course she has, isn't she always?" She grins._

"_Daddy, I made you a picture! Come see!" Evie bounces up and down excitedly as she tugs at her Father's hand._

"_Why don't you go and bring it to me?" John asks with a smile – he watches as she races out of the room to retrieve her drawing. She did not know of the conversation that took place before she got back._

"_John, this isn't right-"_

"_It's the only way, Jenna. I need at least one of my daughters... I thought you understood?" John asks; irritated by her bringing this up again._

"_She is so different to Elena... But they look_exactly_alike. Normally twins have some sort of difference that helps you tell them apart but they have none."_

"_It's probably because we have never seen them together," John shrugs her examination off and smiles again as Evie returns with her picture._

...

Jenna was her Dad's girlfriend for a while before she left to go back to Mystic Falls (where she grew up) and head off to College. She was still there, the last time Evie had spoken to her.

And then the idea sinks in.

_It's a long shot,_ she thinks immediately. _What if she's moved away... What if she is at college and is not there anymore... But she will know where my Dad's birthplace is._ She weighs out the pro's and con's for half an hour before she pours the majority of her closet in to a suitcase, locks the house up and rushes to her car. She heads to the nearest electronic store, grabs a GPS and punches in an address she had found in the cupboard about two weeks ago. She knew it would come in handy and she finds herself getting excited when the route pops up.

_Maple Street, Mystic Falls – here I come!_

...

The air is crisp and cool when Evelyn steps out of her Dad's car. It is around eight-thirty when she arrives at the address she had found and the sun is casting a pink-and-orange dark glow across everything in sight. Sunset has always been her favourite time of day... But right now she feels too nervous to enjoy the beauty of it. She has not seen Jenna in a _long_ time. Will she still remember her? Will she send her away like she did her Father?

A lot of questioning if this was a good idea runs through her mind but – eventually – the need to know just what happened to her Father wins over. She throws open the car door and marches up to the front door. She knocks and waits impatiently for a response.

None.

_Maybe Jenna doesn't live here anymore? Maybe she is at college? Maybe she—_

"Elena? Aren't you supposed to be at the party?"

Confused, Evie turns around to see a woman stood on the lawn that belongs to the house next door. She has no idea who Elena is but she decides to play along... Maybe this will help?

"Uh, oh yeah. The party... I just came to check if Jenna was ready."

"Elena... Your aunt has been dead for the past two months... Is everything ok?"

_Dead!_Evelyn finds her eyes widening in shock; despite her _huge_ disappointment, sadness and disbelief she shakes her head.

"Yeah, I... I'm sorry. I had a dream... Never mind. Well, have you seen John Gilbert anywhere lately? I've been looking for him."

"I can't say I have, not for a month or so..." The woman looks slightly fidgety now – she has sensed that something is wrong. "I am going to go now – happy birthday."

"Wait-" but the door closes before she can get another word in. "How the hell did she know it's my birthday?" She speaks to herself before heading back to the car. She is about to drive back home when she remembers that the woman said something about a party... _Hang on a minute! She called me, what... Elena? She wished me a happy birthday AND she called Jenna my 'aunt'. Something is very wrong here... But what do I do now?_

What can she do? Jenna is dead; there has been no sighting of her Dad... But the woman knew who he was. She had said she had not seen Jonathan Gilbert for a month now. Evie feels her lips tug up in a sort-of smile whilst the tears fall down her cheeks. She is getting closer and she knows it... But right now she needs to get out of here – maybe find a quaint little hotel and get some more answers in the morning.

Like just who lives in Jenna's house?


	2. The Hybrid

Elena checks her reflection in the bathroom mirror before heading downstairs. Today she is wearing some black shorts, a black vest top and a blue three quarter sleeved shirt with the buttons open. She lightly traces along her vervain necklace and thinks back to the phone call last night. It was Stefan – she _knows_ that it was Stefan. The call has only made her all the more eager to find him.

So she decides that she is going to go to the Grill – Damon will hardly be helpful with the state he seemed to be in, last night. She wants to know what had got him so upset but he had upset her at the same time... She does not feel like speaking to him, right now.

"Elena!" Mrs Whitewood shouts her from where she is trimming her rose bushes next door, "are you alright this morning? You seemed... Very strange last night."

"I did?" Elena thinks back. _Did I even speak to Mrs Whitewood last night?_

"Yes. Speaking of that, have you heard anything from John?"

"Uh... No. Why?" She asks; John has been dead for two months now.

"Well, you were asking about him yesterday... Don't you remember?" She narrows her eyes on the confused brunette who nods.

"Yes," she lies. "Sorry... I have to go."

She does not wait for a goodbye from her neighbour. Her heart is thrumming in her chest and she is in full panic mode. _Katherine,_ she curses the female vampire in her mind. _But Katherine_knew_that John had died for me... Didn't she? Maybe she didn't._

Elena feels very confused. _If it wasn't Katherine then who was it?_ She wishes that she could see Katherine right now, just to ask her about it.

...

Evie lets her hair fall in its usual perfectly curled waves today. Normally she ties her hair up in a ponytail but she doesn't feel like doing that. She pulls on some blue denim shorts, a crème vest top and a red-and-dark-grey three quarter sleeved shirt along with her black converse; she wants to look pretty and she also wants some answers. She has woken up with one main goal for today:

_Find out who this Elena is and why everybody keeps thinking I am her._

She already knows they must look alike so all she is going to do is search for somebody who looks like herself... After she has gone back to the house on Maple Street again to see if anybody is living there now... They may just lead her to this Elena person.

Evelyn shoves her key card in to her pocket along with her phone before heading out of the small hotel in the centre. She asks the old female receptionist where the best place to grab some breakfast is and she replies with the Mystic Grill around the corner. She heads straight out with a small crème purse and spots the Grill as soon as she turns the corner.

Numerous people are sat outside on little tables – the sun is shining down from the clear blue sky and Evie finds herself enjoying the cute little stores and various other buildings around the centre of the town whilst she crosses and heads inside. She sits at a table and picks up a menu straight away. A few minutes pass whilst she sits in a nice silence before a blonde haired, blue eyed boy with the All-American look heads over with a sweet smile on his face.

"Hey, Elena. What can I get for you?"

_Ok, this is getting weird._ Evie muses before thinking, _fuck it._

"Actually I am called Evelyn – but Evie for short. I am starting to think that I am this girl's twin or something," she giggles. "You're the third person to call me Elena in the past two days."

"Whoa, are you serious?" The blue eyes belonging to the waiter widen as he gives her another one-over. "You look _exactly_ like her, and I have known Elena since we were in diapers."

"Awesome," she smiles. "Oh, please can I have a couple of pancakes and a glass of orange juice?"

"Sure, Evie." He writes down her order and heads over to give the chefs the tab. Evie pulls out her cell phone and presses a button so the wallpaper flashes up. It's that picture of Jenna, John and herself when she was four that is sat in her Dad's bedroom. _Mystic Falls is a small town. Maybe the waiter will know who both of them are._

"Here's your drink," the waiter returns with the glass of orange.

"Thanks, err... Matt." She gets his name from his badge and he contemplates speaking to the Elena-double for a moment before deciding to sit on the seat in front of her.

"So, how long have you been here?" He asks.

"This is my second day spent in Mystic Falls," she replies with a friendly smile.

"What's brought you here? Normally we only get visitors when their discussing the History of the town."

"I'm definitely not here for any History," she wrinkles her nose in disgust and Matt chuckles. "Actually I'm here because I've been looking for someone. I heard that Jenna is dead but... Do you know where I can find Jonathan Gilbert?"

"Oh..." Matt's face falls. "John died two months ago. Any relation?"

Evie already knew that her Dad was gone but the revelation has hit her like a tidal wave. She balls her hands in to fists on her knees and fights back her tears, but her sadness shows in her voice.

"He was my Dad." She sniffs, "I kind of knew he was dead and I just came here to try and find out where he died."

"I'm... Sorry," Matt does look genuinely sorry for her. "I do know some of his family members, though. His nephew and niece... It's Elena, actually."

"Ah, so I am related to her!" Evie distracts herself with the news of some unseen family members. "Do you know where they live?"

"Yeah, Maple Street."

Evie feels a wave of nausea hit her. She _definitely_knows something is not right now... _Didn't Jenna live on Maple Street?_

"I'll head over after my breakfast." She smiles. "Thanks for your help, Matt."

"No problem." He beams, "you might scare the life out of Elena when you turn up at her door though. You really could be her _double..._Are you sure you're not her?"

"Very sure," Evie giggles. "Anyway, you better go get my pancakes."

On queue a "MATT!" is shouted from the kitchen. The blonde curses under his breath before running to the kitchen; Evie giggles again before placing her cell down on the table.

Elena walks through the doors of the Mystic Grill and heads straight over to the table where Tyler is sat. She has managed to talk Alaric in to helping her find the pack of wolves that they think Klaus and Stefan are tracking down. Tyler looks up from the Cola he has sat in front of him and forces a smile on his face. Elena spots that he is worried immediately but does not mention anything – she does not want to be selfless today. She wants to find Stefan.

"'Sup, Elena." He greets her as she sits down in the seat across from him.

"Hey, Tyler... I need your help."

"What with?" He frowns.

"Well... Tonight is a full moon, right? We think that Klaus and Stefan are tracking down werewolves. Do you know if any of them gather in groups on nights like this?"

"Sure. Well-"

"Elena, hey." Matt smiles at both of them, "do you want anything to drink?"

"Uh, sure. Lemonade would be good." She nods before Matt walks away.

"There was something that Jules mentioned, actually. One minute." Tyler thinks back to the time she had tried to get Tyler to go along with her and the group to a quite wildlife reserve. Elena leaves him to his thoughts for a moment; she looks around the Grill whilst thinking about what she is doing here. Damon would stop her if he found out she was doing this but she _wishes_ that he would help her. Why did he just give up?

"Here," Matt drags Elena's thoughts back in to reality as he places the lemonade in front of her.

"Thanks," she murmurs before noticing the clicking of Tyler's keyboard has stopped.

"A lot of us like to keep to ourselves while on the full moon; chain ourselves up... But, there are some werewolves who like to gather in places where they don't have to do that... Where they can _enjoy_ it."

"What kind of places?" She asks.

"Mountains, state parks, deserts... That kind of stuff."

"Anywhere in Tennessee?" Elena gasps; her heart is beginning to thrum excitedly in her chest as Tyler nods.

"Yeah, here. Give me your phone; I'll try to pull up a map."

Elena hurriedly hands him her phone and he plays around with it for a moment.

"Thanks for this..." Tyler looks up and keeps eye contact for a while, "I know it's asking you a lot." she murmurs.

"Yeah, as Caroline likes to remind me: Stefan is in this mess because I bit Damon." He smiles sadly, "I figured I owe you one."

Elena just smiles because, at the end of the day, Tyler is right. She knows he did not mean to bite Damon but it was him that caused all this whether he meant to or not. She has no hard feelings against him though – she knows he feels awful about it.

"Have you talked to her today?" Tyler adds.

"No," Elena frowns worriedly. "Why?"

"Just... Curious." _Where is she?_ He thinks to himself. "Here. That's your best bet." Elena looks at the map on her cell phone – Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.

"Thanks," she smiles before looking around the bar area. Alaric has just ordered another drink. "I've got to go – I'll see you around."

"Tell me how it goes," Tyler orders. Elena nods and thanks him again before gathering her stuff and her drink. She turns around and starts to head over to Alaric... When she sees someone very familiar. She checks again – looking the way of the brown wavy haired girl.

She drops her drink and gasps.

"Elena," Jeremy curses before rushing over with a towel. He fusses over the spilt drink but Elena does not even bother to apologize.

_Katherine. I knew she was here!_

She storms over to the table and throws her bag down on the seat in front of her. Evie looks up from her now empty plate that once occupied pancakes and feels her eyes widen.

"_What_ do you want, Katherine? You're causing problems! My neighbour thinks I'm crazy and I keep getting weird looks from everyone. I thought you'd be out of town with Klaus hunting you down."

Evelyn tries to understand what this _double image_ of her is saying but finds every word going over her head.

"Who's Katherine? Look, I don't know what you're talking about but I keep getting called Elena. Are you Elena?"

"Oh give up the act," Elena hisses. "I know it's you, Katherine. I'm not stupid."

"I'm _not called Katherine_!" Evie hisses. "I am Evelyn Gilbert, I am here to look for Jonathan Gilbert and Matt over there told me that he was dead and that you are his niece and his nephew is around, too." She takes a deep breath to calm down. "John was my Father."

"I... John was my Father, too. I was adopted by Grayson and Miranda Gilbert..." Elena stares in to her face. That's the only way she can describe Evie's looks. Her mirror image... She looks just like Katherine, and herself. "You said your name is Evelyn?"

"Yeah, but Evie for short. Elena, I think we're twins."

"Me too, but there are a _lot_ of complications if that's true. I would love to explain everything to you but I really need to do something..." She could wait and explain or she could show her. "Or you could come with me? It's dangerous but you might need to know this stuff."

"Um... Okay?" Evie makes it sound like a question but Elena doesn't want to waste anymore time. She take's Evie's hand and pulls her over to Alaric.

"Katherine?" His eyes widen.

"No, this is Evie. I think the doppelganger thing has some more complications – but we can talk about all of this later. How do you feel about a little hike through the Smokey Mountains?" She asks. Evie wants to butt in and say she can't Hike but something in the back of her mind tells her that maybe she shouldn't. Maybe it's because that nagging sensation she has had all her life has finally gone. _It's because I've met Elena._

"You want to hunt down a pack of werewolves on a full moon?"

"What!" Evie stares at both of them incredulously. _Werewolves? Are they insane? They actually believe in all that garbage?_

"I'll explain later!" She tells the very confused Evelyn before turning back to Alaric. "We'll be out of there before the moon is full..." Alaric rubs his temples and Elena rolls her eyes. "If you don't go with me then I'll just go with Evie."

"Who said I had agreed to this? Elena, I don't believe in stupid myths."

"Oh, it's not a stupid myth. Trust me." She replies whilst beginning to walk away – despite her sceptical thoughts Evie follows. Why she does she does not know. Maybe she is scared of been alone again – so scared that she will do _anything_ just to stay with her newly discovered sibling.

"Elena," Alaric mumbles.

"What? You're the one who said I can handle things on my own now." She replies innocently – punishing him with her eyes for leaving her and Jeremy to fend for themselves. Evelyn watches the rest of their exchange in silence, her eyes wander from face-to-face as they argue.

"Yeah, I meant like frozen dinners and SAT's." He replies defensively. Elena just gives him an '_are you coming or not?_' look and he sighs.

"Fine, it's just... Let's just go." He mumbles in irritation as he starts to get up. "But, uh. You're driving."

Elena smiles and nudges Evie who just smirks before they head out. Evie has always had her way with men, too. They climb in to the car and drop Alaric home so he can grab some stuff for their journey and Elena decides to do the same. Evie follows her in her own car until they reach the same house on Maple Street she had visited last night.

"So, how long are you staying?" Elena asks once they have got out.

"As long as you'll have me... I have nothing to go back too." She replies sadly whilst kicking a stone with her shoe. Elena watches her and throws all the acquaintance stuff out of the window as she throws her arms around her sister. Evie would be shocked under any other circumstance but she wraps her arms around Elena too and lets the tears she had been holding back earlier escape.

"I knew he was dead. I knew he was hiding something from me, too. I've always known there was something missing in my life... It was you." She sobs in to Elena's shoulder. Elena feels tears of her own fall, too.

"I'm sorry you lost him," she whispers. "I wish I could have seen him the way you did... And I also wish that I didn't have to bring you in to all of the stuff I have to go through but I _think_ you may play a key part in all of it."

"All of what?" Evelyn asks. "The werewolf stuff? Elena, there's no such thing-"

"And vampire stuff... Both, really. Look I _know_ you don't believe right now but all of your beliefs are about to change. Did John ever tell you stories about Vampires?"

"I thought he was just doing that to freak me out..." Evie trails off as she remembers her Father explaining a Vampire's appearance. "So all that stuff about the veins in their eyes appearing and disappearing and turning red and their fangs appearing... This is _crazy_, Elena!"

"It's the truth, Evelyn! It's real... I know because my boyfriend is a Vampire."

"What?" She murmurs. "Are you insane?"

"Come inside!" Elena replies, leading her sister up to the front door and inside. Once the door is closed she heads for the kitchen and Evie follows.

"So you're dating a Vampire? It sounds a lot like Twilight to me." Evelyn jokes.

"Don't, please. It's not a joke. His name is Stefan and I'm not exactly dating him right now because he made a deal with a very powerful man – Klaus – to save his brother's life after he was bit by a werewolf. A werewolf bite is fatal to a Vampire. It kills them."

"Elena, do you realize how crazy you sound right now?" She asks jokingly but anyone can detect the sound of fear in her voice.

"I'm sorry I have to tell you all of this but we play a _very_ important role in it all... And now you're here things change."

"I don't want any _part_ in all of this! All I want is my sister!" Evelyn cries, "I don't want Vampires and Werewolves I want you! I need you!"

"And I need you too but if you leave then you might die and I don't think I can go through another death, Evelyn... I know we've just met but I feel like I've known you my whole life; whether that's because we're twins or not I don't know but we just found each other and I can't lose this now. Please believe me... Please stay." She whispers in the end, her eyes filling with tears because of how afraid she is. Elena has lost so many people and Evie is still not over losing their parents too. This time Evie hugs Elena.

"Fine, ok. I won't leave. I'll stay here, I promise." Elena feels a lot better after Evie speaks those words. "And I'll give everything you're saying a shot. But right now we need to pack some backpacks and head up to the Smokey Mountains... To save your boyfriend?" She tags on the end. Elena smiles behind her tears.

"You're catching on quickly."

...

"It's fascinating actually. A Werewolf who isn't beholden to the moon; a Vampire who doesn't burn in the sun... A true hybrid." Klaus trails off as he looks down at Ray Sutton – a few seconds later his heart starts working again and the undead man takes a deep, gasping breath as he rolls over on the damp leaf-covered ground. His pack can do nothing but watch; sickened by the hybrid and what he is showing them.

"Excellent timing, Ray." He beams. "Very dramatic!"

"What's happening to me?" He gasps. His whole body is in so much pain... He thought the Hybrid said he would feel better after this. He feels worse; so much worse.

"Stefan?" Klaus nudges him to tell the confused werewolf-turned-hybrid what is going on. Stefan takes a deep breath: he is just as disgusted as the werewolves surrounding them but he cannot show that.

"Are any of you human?" He asks to the crowd whilst he stands. "Your friend here," he looks down at the struggling Ray and tries his very best to keep his false pretence up. "He needs human blood to complete his transition in to a Vampire... If he doesn't get it he will _die_."

"It doesn't take much," Klaus' ironically calming voice adds. "Just a sip." He stands up, "anyone? A boyfriend, a girlfriend along for the ride?" He takes a moment to study the emotions and scents around him before turning his eyes on to a blonde haired, green eyed man. "You."

The man gasps but has no time to react; Klaus already has him by the arm and bites in to his arm before throwing him to the ground beside Ray.

"NO!" A female Werewolf shrieks as she tries to help him but Klaus grabs her by the throat before she can. Ray's eyes settle on the blood pouring out of the human's arm. Hypnotising him.

"If you don't drink it, Ray; I will. The problem is" Stefan almost grins, "I don't know how to stop."

"This is a new order, sweetheart. You join us or you die." Klaus' lips threaten a smile – such an angelic smile caused by such sadistic thoughts. The Werewolf knows that her next words are the truth.

"I'd rather die than be a Vampire," She hisses.

Klaus' veins underneath his eyes begin to rise and his eyes go from a beautiful green/blue to yellow. "Wrong choice," he murmurs softly before biting in to his arm and feeding the Werewolf his blood. Meanwhile, Ray has just reached the human's arm and willingly takes a bite in to the wound and begins to drink – the blood is a siren; he is helpless to its call.

Klaus kills the female wolf and lets her fall against him. He strokes her now disarrayed hair whilst smiling to himself. His eyes are full of impatient excitement – he cannot wait for this.

"She'll thank me for it later."

He drops her to the floor and smiles, all _four_ of his teeth appearing – two vampire, two canine. He looks around before asking: "So, who's next?"

...

"In a couple of hours the full moon is going to rise," Alaric reminds the twins whilst they walk behind him – side by side. "Just behind that ridge. Tyler was right – that's where the pack will be."

"Wait, Tyler? Who is he? Is he a werewolf?" Evie asks.

"Yeah," Elena nods. "You were a boy scout, weren't you?" Elena jokes to Alaric afterwards.

"Shut up," he laughs.

"Boy scout slash Vampire slayer?" Evie adds with a smirk of her own.

"Slash whiskey drinking all around lost cause." He adds; Elena laughs to herself after taking a drink of water. Alaric sets his bag down with a half-grunt half-sigh and unzips the front.

"Wow," Evie gasps whilst admiring all the stakes and various other Vampire/Werewolf fighting gear in his bag.

"You came stocked," Elena notes – pushing her bag up her shoulder again.

"Well, we aren't exactly bird watching." Ric reminds her with a smile. "Here," he murmurs whilst handing both the girls a jar with a brown-ish liquid inside. Evie admires it in disgust whilst Elena frowns at it. "Put it in your bag," he nods to Evie.

"Vervain grenade?" Elena questions.

"Wolfsbane," Ric corrects her. Elena looks down at it again and nods, _Go figure._

"What does it do?" Evie asks whilst she puts hers in her bag.

"It is kryptonite to Werewolves, just like Vervain is kryptonite to a Vampire." Alaric replies to the newly discovered Gilbert with a shy smile.

Whilst Elena and Alaric talk a little bit more about the ring she has just offered for protection from her pocket, Evie admires the surroundings. They are in huge forest with Pine trees scattered all over the place, a blue sky and from somewhere in the distance the sound of a waterfall can be heard. Birds are chirping away and if she did not know any better she would think this place was a peaceful getaway from real life.

Well, the 'getaway from _real_ life' just about covers it.

When Evie turns back Alaric is knelt down by his bag pack whilst Elena is removing hers. She walks up to the edge of the river bank and turns her head to the side so she can look at Ric.

"I don't know why you think you're a lost cause—AAHH!" Elena shrieks; making both Ric and Evie jump in fright as she falls in to the water with a _splash_.

"Oh my God!" Evie shrieks in fear as she spots the pale man clad in all-black stood where Elena was stood. He cocks his head to the side – pale blue eyes meet chocolate brown and for a split-second he wonders if he just pushed someone else off the edge. Ric pulls the girl behind him.

"She's called Evelyn; she's, well... We think that she is Elena's twin." Ric explains before Damon jumps to the conclusion that she is Katherine. Elena returns to the surface and Damon fights off his many questions about _how? Why? What?_As he turns back to her; resting his elbow on a tree with a cocky look on his ethereally beautiful face whilst her angry brown eyes settle on him.

"Damon!" Elena yells as she holds her hands up in a 'why did you do that' kind of posture. "How are you even _here_?" She asks, suddenly afraid. _He will ruin everything!_

"Thanks for the tip, brother." Damon speaks in a voice like velvet over his shoulder. Evie shudders – her first impression of Damon? _He may have just pushed Elena in to the water but isn't he just... Dashing?_

"You're brothers?" Evie whispers to Alaric.

"No, this is Damon Salvatore – Stefan's brother."

"Oh," she nods before turning back to drool over the gorgeous Vampire.

"You sold me out," Elena says – her emotions are in between disbelief, hurt and anger.

"Why did you do that?" Evie gasps at Alaric; she wants to defend her sister.

"You think I'd take you both in to a mountain range of Werewolves on a full moon _without_ back-up?" Ric and Elena proceed to stare each other down whilst Evie steps up to Damon. He looks at her properly now and almost loses his cocky facade. Her hair... It makes her look _just like Katherine._

"Where'd you come from?" He asks.

"John was my Dad, _obviously_. After two months of waiting for him I came to find him... I already knew he was dead but I had to be sure. One thing led to another and suddenly I'm meeting the twin I didn't know I had..." She takes a step closer to glare at him, "and I'll defend her no matter _what_ it is she's asking from me. She's all I have, now."

"How touching," Damon fakes a yawn and the Petrova twin slaps him.

"Dick," she hisses back.

"Feisty!" Damon laughs, "I _like_it."

"Enough," Alaric puts himself between the two of them and sighs. "This isn't solving a damn thing."

"He started it," she snaps whilst pulling a towel out of her backpack. Damon raises a hand to where she had hit him and frowns; _she put some power behind that._

"And I'm ending it," he murmurs before returning to his bag.

"Elena, get out of the water." Damon orders.

"If I get out of the water you're going to make me go home," she accuses.

"Yeah because I'm not an idiot like you and _your_ doppelganger over here." Damon replies.

"I'm not a doppelganger I'm a _twin_!" Evie defends.

"You're both," Damon rolls his eyes at how little she knows before returning his gaze to Elena.

"You're an idiot," Evelyn mumbles back at him.

"Right now you're _all_ acting like idiots," Alaric grunts; irritated by the large amount of bickering going on between all three of them.

"You gave up on him Damon," Elena shakes her head.

"I didn't give up on him, Elena. I faced reality... Now get out of the water," he orders again.

"You're so damn _bossy_!" Evie butts in, "you don't own any one of us!"

"You're wrong about that," Damon gets up in her face again. "Because I am a Vampire and you are _not_ on Vervain – you're not a problem because I can just compel you to do _whatever I want_. Your sister, on the other hand, I cannot compel because she is wearing Vervain... But I can always go in there and drag her out." Damon speaks the last part a little bit louder so she hears him clearly.

"Elena, out."

"No!"

"What's your big plan, Elena? Huh?" He asks whilst walking down the river bank. Evie follows up until the ledge and keeps hold of the towel; prepared for when Elena either gets out or is carried out. "Do you want to walk through a camp site full of Werewolves and roast a marshmallow and wait for Stefan to stop by?" he asks sarcastically.

"My plan is to find him and help him. Damon, this is the closest we've been to him since he left: I'm _not_ going home!"

"I second that," Evie adds.

"No one _asked_ you," Damon snaps behind his back. "Elena, Klaus thinks you _died_ when he broke the curse; that makes you safe. This!" He gestures to the wilderness – the places where the Werewolves will soon be lurking around, "is _not_ safe."

"I'm _not_ leaving before we find him."

"It's a full moon tonight, Elena."

"Then we'll find him _before_then!"

Damon falls silent – he wants to. He really, really wants too but he does not want anybody to get hurt... Well, Elena anyway. He knows that Evelyn girl will make this harder he would not be able to let her die if anything does happen. It would hurt Elena and she has been through enough deaths and trauma to last her a lifetime. Protecting three humans whilst trying to make sure he does not get bit? It does not sound easy.

But he really _does_ want to find his brother... Especially after seeing how Evie and Elena stick together. In the space of about five hours they have become inseparable.

"Damon, please." Elena begs – knowing she has broken down his resistance anyway. Evie and Alaric watch from the side intensely as Damon sighs.

"Okay, okay! But we are _out of here_ before the moon is full as I am Werewolf bait."

"I promise," Elena agrees.

"Unless you want to re-live that whole dead-bit-kissy-thing-"

"I said I _promise_," Elena reminds him.

"Fine."

Elena watches him get out of the water before turning to a very, _very_ confused Evelyn. She meets Elena's eyes and gapes slightly.

"You've kissed him before?"

Elena curses Damon internally for bringing that up before following him out of the water.

...

"You three alright?" Damon asks in a sarcastic, cheery kind of way as the two doppelgangers and the human struggle on behind him. Evelyn grinds her teeth to prevent herself from pulling out a stake and killing the 'sarcastic bastard' whilst Elena speaks to him.

"Fine," Elena replies.

_Stefan stops; frozen in place as he listens on helplessly._

"You know I can help _you_," Damon murmurs.

"Fuck you, Damon." Elena's voice replies... But Elena wouldn't swear pointlessly.

"Oh, little Evie here to defend her sister again. Why are you even _here_?" Damon growls.

_Sister?_ Stefan frowns... _Twin sister? She has Elena's voice..._ He steps forward so he can see Alaric, Damon, and Elena... And the girl he is presuming to be Evie._Her looks..._ His eyes widen in realization: why Klaus' blood is having a bad effect on the Werewolves when he tries to change them... It all makes sense.

"Where did he go?" Klaus asks from behind him.

"He, uh. He got away. Forget him – let's go."

Klaus grabs Stefan's arm on the way past and looks down with a Cheshire cat smirk.

"A fatal Werewolf bite. Ouch."

"Yeah, I'm going to need your blood to heal me."

"Well, I'll tell you what – you find Ray and then I'll heal you."

Stefan scoffs in disbelief, "you can't be serious." He smiles

"You'd better hurry... That bite looks nas—"

"_OUCH! FUCK!" Evie shrieks as she falls and a sharp stabbing pain runs up her ankle._

Klaus' eyes go wide, he scans the area and then – as fast as lightning – he's gone.

"NO!" Stefan roars helplessly.

...

Damon heard the warning. He grabbed Elena and Alaric as fast as he could and pulled them along with him in to the shadows. He covers Elena's mouth and whispers as quietly as possible _"Klaus heard her. He thinks you're dead; let's keep it that way."_

Evie looks up and notices she is alone. Human ears did not pick up Stefan's cry so she has no idea why, either. She curses, grabs a tree trunk and uses it to pull herself to her feet – only when she puts pressure on one of them she can't use it. She just ends up crying out again – tears sting her eyes and she allows them to slip down as she leans her back against the trunk.

"You fucking bastard!" She shrieks, "Why!"

She sees something, then. A flash between the trees. She holds her breath as she listens for something, anything? For a second she thinks it might be Damon but as she turns to the other side someone is with her. She shrieks in fright before placing a hand over her now thrumming heart.

_Wow._

Something tells her she should be scared but _WOW,_ isn't he gorgeous. Toned, lean body enhanced by his jeans and t-shirt. Pale yet perfect complexion, sandy blonde wavy hair that is cut short, _perfect_ facial features, a little bit of stubble and the most mesmerising green/blue eyes she has ever seen. Although she can feel her insides melting she is also on alert – adrenaline pumps through her veins and all of her senses are prepared for the worse. Her breaths are short and sharp.

Klaus cocks his head to the side much like Damon had earlier, only he seems a lot gentler than the older Salvatore brother. If she knew he wasn't some supernatural being then she would feel relaxed. She keeps her eyes locked on his as he frowns slightly.

"I thought I had killed you." He murmurs.

"I-I'm not Elena, If that's w-what you mean," she whimpers under his gaze. "I'm Evelyn."

"Oh."

He keeps those hypnotic eyes on her for a moment before he leans in – her muscles freeze in terror and a _little_ bit of anticipation, but all he does is take a deep breath of her. He is checking her scent. When he finds she is neither Katherine _or_ Elena he frowns.

"You may just be the explanation for my troubles, sweet pea." He murmurs in a Welsh accent and a voice like silk. If she was not so scared she would find it alluring.

"Who _are_ you?" She grinds her teeth together whilst asking. The man does not look happy yet he does not look like he wants to kill her so she feels that it may be ok to ask.

"Oh, how rude of me to _not_ introduce myself." He takes her hand and brings the back of it up to his lips. He places a warm, quick kiss on it before letting it drop down to her side. "My name is Klaus - and _you_ are coming with _me_."

...

"What's going on, Damon?" Elena whispers as quietly as possible.

"He's... Taking Evie with him; he found her." Damon shakes his head in irritation. _I knew I couldn't do this – protecting three humans against a group of hybrids; damnit, Elena!_

"No!" She nearly shouts but the cry is covered by Damon's hand. Tears slip down her cheeks as sobs wrack through her body, "this is all my fault... This is _my_ fault!"

"Stop crying," he comforts despite wanting to yell at her. "It's not going to get her back."

"Then what will!" She growls.

"I don't _know_, Elena. It just means that now we will _have_ to keep looking and hope that maybe we'll figure something out and that we can find them before they leave."

"We're not just searching for Stefan, now." Alaric murmurs. "We're searching for Elena's sister... Her only family member that's left." Ric feels for Elena – she only has one extended family left and now that they have found someone from her original family they cannot lose her. They can't put Elena through another death.

...

"Put me down, you bastard!" Evie snaps angrily at the grinning hybrid as he carries her over his shoulder back to the Werewolves camp site. Once they arrive in to it he does as she asked and once she looks around she kind of wishes that he hadn't.

There are people scattered around the floor; groaning in pain as they try to move but their bodies just won't let them. The few that have made it past the lying down stage are all sat hugging their knees to their chests. Blood pours down their cheeks like tears... It reminds Evie of something from a horror movie.

"What did you _do_ to them?" She yells, "Their in agony! How could you do this!"

"Because I wanted to _change_them," he snaps, "but it hasn't worked the way I had expected... Because of _you_."

"Me? What did I do?" She replies but all he does is turn and start to pace. She grabs his wrist before he can... It's not her strength that stops him from doing so: it's the fact that she dared to _try_ and stop him.

"Don't you know who I am?" He hisses as he turns around to face her.

"Actually yes I do. You're an egotistical, sick, sadistic _monster_ who thinks they can control anything and everything: Well, I have some news for you! You can't kill me!" She points in his direction from where she pirouetted off and laughs.

"Oh, really?" He asks whilst watching her dance around.

"Mh-hm," she nods. "Because _if_ I have something to do with their... reaction to changing them then you'll need me until you figure out what that is."

Klaus wishes she was not right. He hates to feel like someone has something over him... Especially a human. _But then again, she is human... And she will have a VERY humane reaction to me and all of my actions._

"You may be right," he walks over to her dancing form and takes her hand – she stops dancing and frowns at his touch. "But who said your time would be nothing but a misery whenever I am around? Humans are nothing but toys to me and _you_ are a human... Once you see the things I do to your kind – well, I am sure that will be a torture of its own."

And suddenly both Evie's good mood and her dancing around the camp have stopped. She just stands there, closing in on herself... She has never felt so scared and alone in her life – not even whilst she was at home whilst she knew her Father was dead, somewhere. In the space of twenty-four hours she has gone from been alone to meeting her twin sister, creating an unbreakable bond with her in a matter of hours and then been torn away from her for this... This _monsters_ gain; because _apparently_she is the cause of his problems.

_It was worth meeting my sister, though._ She uses that as a way to calm herself down as she sits on a log by the fire; praying that maybe the thought will drown out the pained cries of the Werewolves around her. _If only I could help them..._

...

Elena is still deeply affected by the sudden kidnapping of her sister but it has only made her even _more_ eager to find Klaus. She loathes the Hybrid more than anyone she has ever met... He killed Bonnie (although temporarily he still did it), he killed Jenna, he killed Tyler's Werewolf friend – Jules, he killed _Elena_ and now she knows that he is going to kill her sister. It's his fault – all of it. If he had not had kidnapped Tyler and Caroline then Damon would have never tried to save them and Tyler would have never bit Damon... All this time she has thought of it as Tyler's fault... But attacking Vampires is only nature for him.

Klaus caused _all_ of this. All of her pain and all the deaths she has had to endure are because of him.

"I _hate_him," Elena growls murderously. "If he even thinks about touching Evie then I'll rip his heart out myself."

"I'd love to see you do _that_," Damon replies with a dark chuckle.

"You're such an ass, Damon."

"And you two need to stop your stupid bickering," Alaric mumbles – shutting the Vampire and the Doppelganger up. They walk in silence from then on, if only for a little while. Completely lost in their own thoughts – Elena thinks about Stefan and Evie, Alaric thinks about the possibility of making it out alive if it is Klaus who finds them and Damon thinks about how dumb all of this is because Stefan does not want to be saved. He made that pretty clear when he showed up and killed Andy last night. Elena looks up at the sky as they pass _more_ trees – it is sunset.

"We've only got about a mile left." Alaric speaks up.

"The sun is about to set," Damon tries to make his worry sound like nothing more than a comment so Elena decides to be cold-hearted about it. She sighs heavily before adding:

"We can see that, Damon."

"I'm just saying!" He defends himself.

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for a while; we have time."

They continue on in what they all wanted to be silence but that is practically thrown out the window. As Alaric looks on he hears footsteps heading towards them. Damon notices too and lastly so does Elena. They look around and Alaric raises his bow and arrow weapon as he spots the source of the noise.

A blonde, bearded man wearing a pair of blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and a pleated black-and-red shirt (the same style as Evie's only full sleeved) is heading towards them. He looks very disorientated. All three of them watch him; momentarily stunned... Because blood seems to be dripping down his cheeks from his eyes.

_What the hell?_Damon thinks to himself.

"Stay where you are," Ric warns the man. He does as he asks and smells at the air. His bloody eyes turn to Damon as Elena admires the horrible and bloody state the man is in. His t-shirt is soaked with blood; his face is smothered in it. He looks like he just stepped out of a SAW movie.

"Vampire," he hisses whilst keeping his eyes on Damon. He wears that same cocky expression he'd had after pushing Elena in the lake but his eyes are full of concentration whilst he tilts his head to the side as if he wants to say 'what are you going to do about it?'

And before Elena and Alaric's eyes can pick up the movements the stranger has Damon pinned against a tree whilst he hisses, growls and... Well the other sound is so strange that there is no real word to describe it. A screeching like that of a hawk; a sound that should definitely not be coming from a human's, Vampire's or Werewolves mouth... Whatever he is. Elena can't help but think _that's because he's neither... He's all three. Human form, Vampire's diet but on the night of a full moon he becomes a wolf._

Damon's eyes are full of fear as he battles for his life against the Hybrid. He hates when he comes in to contact with Werewolves after his whole bitten-by-Tyler-and-nearly-dying experience. He had wanted to be out of here before he could be bit but apparently fate had something else in store for him. Soon enough Ric shoots the arrow and it goes in to the Hybrid's back but it does not faze him much; although it's enough for Damon to momentarily gain the upper hand. Elena pulls the Wolfsbane Grenade from her bag and yanks out the needle.

"DAMON!" She shouts before tossing it to him – he catches it and shoves it in the Hybrid's face before it explodes.

"AHHHHH!" He cries out in pure agony as the Wolfsbane burns his face like acid. He falls to his knees and goes to get up again but Damon kicks him so hard that he rolls around in the air quite a few times before falling back down again with three broken ribs. The overwhelming pain from the transformation, Wolfsbane and broken bones send him unconscious.

Elena, Alaric and Damon take a few moments to calm down before Alaric breaks the silence.

"Let me guess; Hybrid." He looks up from the unmoving body to Damon who just nods his way once before turning back to the man to make sure he's definitely not going to attack him again.

...

"Where _is_ he?" Klaus growls at nothing in particular whilst he paces back and forth.

"I don't know," Evie's voice has taken on a tone of hysteria as she looks around at the zombie-like Werewolves walking around whilst groaning. "Klaus I'm sorry if I upset you, alright? But these... _Things_ are really scaring me. Can't we just _go_!"

"No!" His eyes meet hers whilst he shouts at her... And for a second she swears she can see desperation. "It will pass."

"Are you fucking _crazy_?" She yells, "Just _look_ at them!"

"I DON'T TAKE ORDERS FROM A HUMAN! JUST SHUT UP!" He suddenly roars; making Evie almost jump out of her skin... Even when she is scared Klaus may just kill her out of irritation she would rather be stood beside him than sat on this log watching these wolves.

"And I'll take orders from _you_ after you've compelled me too!" She hisses.

"Come here, mate." He orders the male human over and he does exactly what he's asked... Under compulsion and now half-mad with the trauma he has been through. _I'm surprised I'm not as crazy as he is,_Evie thinks to herself. _I have discovered the existence of Vampires, Werewolves and Hybrids and had to endure horrible sights of them yet I've not gone insane? What the hell is wrong with my fucked up brain because if I was normal I'd have committed suicide by now... But I haven't even flinched... Until these things started moving around like zombies._

"Bad news, my friend." Klaus speaks to the unfocused human. He spins him around so he is facing him and stares in to his blank eyes. "It's the end of the road, for you."

He does it because he is hungry and because he wants to remind Evie who is the boss around here... She has the fire of Katerina and it is starting to wear him out; he had treated Katerina like a lover because he did not want to argue with her like this. He bites in to the man's neck and although Evelyn does see it she is more focused on the wolf-zombie heading towards her.

She would rather have her blood drank from her body and die gradually that way than be eaten alive.

"KLAUS!" She shrieks in pure terror as the yellowed eyes and veins begin to show – arms outstretched towards her and all. The woman looks _terrifying_and although she hates Klaus she feels much, _much_ safer around him. He's there in an instant and, unlike last time, when he pulls her in to his arms and out of the Wolf's grasp she wraps her arms around him and begins to tremble and cry.

_Well this is... Odd._He thinks to himself before realizing just what is going on.

_Their all rabid. They want her blood... They want my sweet doppelganger._

"Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on as tightly as you can," He cannot think of any other way to protect her – he sighs in defeat whilst he kills off the rabid animals one-by-one. He kills over half of them and discovers that the rest have just... Died from the blood loss.

Once they are all dead all that can be heard is the crackling fire and Evelyn's sobs as she clings to the man who kidnapped her. Klaus pries her legs from around his waist and she sets them down but she does not remove her arms. He becomes slightly irritated after a moment.

"Will you let go now?" He growls, "I only told you to do that so I could protect you."

"No," she shakes her head whilst pressing her face further in to his shirt. "I feel safer this way."

"I don't understand you _one bit_," he sighs exasperatedly. "I am a Hybrid that could snap your neck like a twig and drain you of your blood but you feel_safe_?"

"I never said I felt safe!" Her voice is more of a mumble with her face pressed in to his chest, "I _said_ I felt _safer_!"

"But their dead," He explains.

Slowly, Evie pulls her face away to look around the campsite. The fire is still burning only slightly which gives the darkness an orange glow – it is enough light to notice the unmoving bodies scattered across the floor. She releases her hold on the Hybrid and lets out a sigh of relief before looking up at him.

For a second – just one second – he misses the feeling of someone's arms around him. In that one moment she had felt safe and he had been her protector... He did not appreciate just how that made him feel; even if it was for a fleeting moment. He watches her go from scared to cold and turn her back on him.

"Thanks," she mumbles coldly before rubbing her arms to try and create some heat – it is freezing now it is dark. Klaus sees she is cold and quickly grabs a blanket he spotted in one of the tents and wraps it around her shoulders.

"Uh, thanks?" She feels like she has said that too much to someone who took her away from the sister she had just discovered for selfish reasons... Klaus turns away without a response, taking some of the bottles of cheap beer the wolves had been saving and just drinking – allowing the liquid to pull him in to his thoughts as he sits beside Evelyn who is now staring in to the flames. They just sit there in the midst of the chaos... Just those two: together, but very much alone.

...

When Stefan returns with Ray's dead body in his arms he pauses for a moment as he takes in the sight. Dead Werewolves and a dead human cover the floor, nothing but the two sat by the camp fire show a speck of life... But even they look drained both emotionally and physically – although he would never mention that to Klaus.

"They went rabid," Klaus mumbles. "Some of them I killed, the others just... Bled out."

Both Stefan and Evie watch his expression change from one emotion to the other as he explains. Stefan knows he needs to listen but the pains shooting through his arm are excruciating – he needs healing soon before he goes rabid, too. Evie notices Stefan's pain but says nothing. She cannot see him properly under the fire light but she can see that he is almost as gorgeous as his brother: he has bronze windswept hair and pretty green eyes.

Klaus stands up and continues, "In the end... Their all dead." He looks up in to Stefan's eyes who cannot believe this almost as much as Klaus. They have spent two months – _two months –_hunting down a pack of wolves to change them... Just so they could all end up dead? Stefan presumes Klaus has been torturing himself with this fact too because when he suddenly cries out in rage and throws his beer bottle at a tree he can see the anger – Evie jumps in shock as he does. Both Evie and Stefan see the white-hot anger. Neither of them feels safe enough to say anything, right now.

"I DID EVERYTHING I WAS TOLD!" He roars in pure rage, "I should be able to turn them. I broke the curse, I killed a Werewolf, I killed a Vampire... I killed the doppelganger." He is saying this partly to comfort himself and because he needs to believe he really did... He knows he did but why can he not turn anyone? Before Stefan can continue his internal debate on what he could do to calm Klaus down he has already smoothed out his anger... Replacing it with a facade.

Evie is mesmerised. At first she had been scared but now... Now she sees Klaus for who he really is. No, he is not a soulless monster – if he was he would not be so upset by this. He was acting angry but she could see something Stefan clearly did not see: she saw a helpless man who thought that maybe he was finally going to get something he had been craving for so long. He had been so patient... But he did not get it. He really thought he was going to but he didn't.

And then earlier, too. When he had pulled her in and fought the Wolves... He killed them because of her – because they were going to hurt her. She knows he protected her because he needs her just in case she has anything to do with the curse but did he really need her to hold on to him whilst he did so? Could he have not killed them all in seconds? _He is misunderstood_, she thinks to herself whilst she watches him pick up a bottle. _Elena wants to bring Stefan back from the edge of the cliff? Well... I am going to bring Klaus back from the depths of the cold, dark and heartless ocean._

She sees his face change for the first time, now. Black veins underneath his eyes raise and fall whilst his eyes change from that gorgeous blue/green to a glowing yellow – his canines and fangs elongate until there are four pointed teeth visible in his mouth that were not there before. He cuts through the skin of his hand and allows his blood to trickle down in to the glass before he hands it over to Stefan; a smile now plays at the edge of his lips.

"Bottoms up," he smirks whilst Stefan just takes the bottle without responding. He turns to Evie and tilts his head in a 'come here' gesture. She drops the blanket and steps towards him. "We're leaving," he tells them both before turning towards the forest and walking away. Both Stefan and Evie exchange uncertain eye contact for a moment before Klaus turns around again – a sombre expression on his face. Pure sadness in his eyes that even Stefan can see. He looks around at the dead bodies across the ground before looking up – making eye contact with both of them.

"It appears you're the only comrades I have left." He murmurs, his eyes connect with Evie's again and once he sees that she is studying him and that she feels sorry for him he turns away – hating the sorrow in her chocolate brown eyes. He can feel her eyes on him and fidgets uncomfortably for a moment before he finally turns away fully and disappears in to the trees. Stefan quickly drinks the blood Klaus gave him from the glass bottle before throwing an arm around Elena's sister's shoulders and giving her a gentle hug.

"I'm Stefan," he whispers.

"Hi, Stefan. I'm Evie," she replies. "Let's get out of here."

"Yeah," he looks around once more before nodding her way. "Let's go."

...

That night the three grab a cheap bedsit at some grungy hotel just two miles down the road from the Smokey Mountains. Evelyn pulls the grey joggers and black vest top she had in her bag just in case things got messy out there before soaking her clothes in some soap in the sink to clean them. She has a long, hot shower to attempt to relax her muscles... But even the warm water cannot relax her. She climbs out and ties her hair up in a ponytail before heading out and allowing Stefan to use the small bathroom. Klaus is sat on a worn out couch staring at the television screen as if he is actually watching it.

"I'm sorry, Klaus." She speaks up for the first time since she had spoken to Stefan in the mountains. Klaus turns a mocking smile her way.

"Whatever for?" He asks curiously. She stares in to his eyes, looking for what he is really feeling... and slowly the smile falls from his face. "Stop that!" He yells.

"Stop what?" She asks innocently as he glares daggers at her.

"Reading me! Looking in to my eyes so intensely... Stop it." He snaps, "I don't need this." He mumbles before turning back to the screen. Evelyn feels her eyes soften as she watches him from the corner of her eyes... He looks so tired, so uneasy. It is painful to be around never mind what it is like to watch.

"Klaus?" She whispers.

"What now!" He groans – Evie says nothing more, she just scoots closer to him and wraps her arms around him. Shock freezes all of his muscles in place at first but as he comes out of it he realizes just how tired he is... Just how _upset_he is. He is pleased she is hugging him simply because she cannot see the pained expression he is now wearing. She keeps her head on his shoulder and feels her eyelids become heavier – she smiles slightly, pleased he has not pushed her away, before falling asleep. He does not hug her back – he does not hug. He does not feel for other people.

_What the hell is she trying to do?_ He asks himself whilst he watches the doppelganger who is fast asleep with her soft, warm arms around his waist. _She is crazy._ He finally settles on that before he carries her to the bed and settles down on the couch – quickly falling in to an uneasy sleep.


	3. Bonus: Reincarnation

After getting 6 more reviews after my last update I decided to write that bonus chapter! :) It is based after everything that has just happened but just remember **the bonus chapter(s) is/are not really part of the story.** In other words this is just some cute drabble and has absolutely nothing to do with any of the other chapters. This is its own story. I was going to create a separate story for all the short stories based on the characters but I didn't feel that was necessary. Anyway I'm sure you get the point: enjoy!

...

**Klevie short story: 'Reincarnation'**

Light streams in to the room through the small window alongside a cool and gentle breeze. Evie allows her eyes to get used to the light for a moment before taking in her surroundings. The motel room is too small for three people, really. But Klaus and Stefan did not seem to mind letting her sleep in the double bed. She frowns as she sits up and throws the quilts back. _Who put me in bed? I was fine sleeping on the couch... It was what I had expected. I am 'only human', after all._

The bathroom door is closed and water seems to be running so she presumes Klaus is in the shower... Where Stefan is she does not know. Since she has nothing to do Evie decides to snoop around to see if there is anything that can tell her a little bit about the man who has captured her. Almost immediately she spots a pool of clothes by the bathroom door – she swears she feels her head spin. _He got undressed there?_

After scolding Klaus mentally for been absolutely _gorgeous_ despite his mean streak she picks up the jeans and snakes her hand in to the pockets. The first pocket holds nothing so she tries the other. _Nothing._ And then she tries the back two – her fingers touch what seems to be a folded piece of paper.

_Bingo!_ She grins whilst pulling the picture out.

The paper has gone a yellow colour; she unfolds it until she can see what seems to be a painting on there. The woman is wearing some sort of dress but it has no colour; so Evie does not really know what material it is. She is slender and from her posture she seems very dainty. Her hair falls in to perfect curls down to her thighs and she is smiling with such a loving expression on her face. Her lips are turned up in a smile and her eyes are full of love and mischief; as if she is flirting with whoever she is looking at.

What Evelyn finds more than surprising is that this picture looks exactly like her and Elena... But it seems to be at least 700 years old.

"Doppelganger," She repeats the word as if she is tasting it before letting her fingers trail along the hair of the woman on the picture. "I guess she's the original."

The water shuts off but Evie is so lost in her thoughts and the picture of the woman who looks just like her that she does not even notice. The door opens and suddenly she is pulled out of her admiration – gasping as she realizes Klaus is there and he will catch her with the painting. She would continue to be scared by the thought if she did not notice him in nothing but a towel. His eyes meet hers but her eyes are on his body – she gulps and he smirks cockily as he watches her whole face blush a bright red.

"Such a human reaction," he sighs before picking up his clothes. She gets the basic idea that he feels like there is nothing to hide but she turns away anyway – knowing that having women stare at him is something he likes very much... But she does not want to be like all those other women.

"I can't help it... All you Vampires and Hybrids are just so..." She shakes her head and turns back to see he has his jeans on now.

"So?" He murmurs whilst pulling another shirt out of a bag.

"Never mind," she mumbles, "I need some more clothes."

"Stefan has gone to retrieve some for you. Feel free to use the shower," he gestures to the open door and she scoffs – returning to her sarcastic self.

"Oh, how charming. Do I smell bad or something?" She asks bitterly whilst she shoves her way past him – all that gets her is a bruised shoulder and a chuckle from the Hybrid. Once she has locked the door and turned on the shower Klaus moves away from the door and throws his used t-shirt in to his bag. Once he has zipped it up he spots something out of the corner of his eye on the edge of the bed. He drops his bag and walks over to it.

His picture of Charlotte.

At first he feels angry at Evelyn for going through his jean pockets but it soon fades as he looks in to the pictures eyes. _Her_ eyes. Klaus is not humane... He feels nothing. He does not care and he does not love; but he did once. Those memories are burned in to the back of his mind alongside the way he felt when he was with her. He knows every piece of her by heart... She had a fierce edge – although that was frowned upon in their days Klaus had found it exhilarating. He loved her. He loved how she used everything she had to her advantage. He loved how selfless she was and how she used her fiery personality to defend anyone and everyone she loved.

_She is finally here... Katerina has her fire and Elena has her compassion; Evelyn has both. Evelyn is her exact copy. _The Hybrid takes a sharp intake of air he does not really need and strokes the cheek of the picture.

"Why Charlotte?" Klaus whispers whilst closing his eyes. "Did the serpents of nature want to punish me for been born what I am? How can I help that I am both Vampire and Wolf?"

_They killed the woman I loved to bind this curse._

The bathroom door opens to reveal Evelyn in yesterday's clothes. Her chocolate hair is still wet and beads of water are still clinging to her arms and slender, long legs. She looks just like Charlotte as she looks up at him with the same mischief in those wild, fiery brown eyes with a sweet smile on her face.

"You know it's rude to stare, right?" She _tusks_ before turning to throw her towel on to the side of the sink. She turns back around and jumps slightly as she comes face-to-chest with Klaus.

She looks up and sees that his eyes are burning with emotions. He reaches his hand up to her cheek and strokes some loose strands of damp hair behind her ear. Evelyn's breath becomes laboured; he smiles oh-so-slightly at the sound of her heartbeat as it picks up its pace. Her cheeks become dotted with colour and her eyes stare straight back in to his. When he comes to rest his palm against her cheek a jolt of electricity races through both of them: it has her leaning in to his touch. He feels compelled for the first time in his life... Compelled by her graceful beauty.

"Do you know what doppelgangers are?" he whispers.

"Y-yes," she stammers. "And I know that I am her doppelganger."

"You certainly are," he replies with a small smile. "That picture is Charlotte Petrova; she was my lover and was killed in front of my eyes whilst the witches cast the curse upon my Werewolf side. I spent centuries searching for her afterwards – I came across Katerina Petrova, first. But I soon discovered that she only had the fiery side of Charlotte and she became worthless. Next was Elena Petrova... She has some of Charlotte's fire but it is overruled by her compassion."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Evie whispers; completely mesmerised by the movement of Klaus' lips as he speaks. They turn up in a _real_ smile – dimples and all. For a single second she thinks he looks like an Angel.

"Because I don't think you are a doppelganger. I think you are her reincarnation."

Evie knows that Klaus is only treating her like this because he thinks she is Charlotte but she cannot find it in herself to care... A deep love for the man in front of her fills her from top to bottom; a loving smile reaches her lips. Klaus leans down; watching as her eyelids flutter before shutting. She reaches up to wrap her arms around him.

And then Klaus pushes her away and when she opens her eyes he is at the other side of the room. Evie gasps as her arms drop from the warm body in to empty air and land at her sides. Just as she is about to ask why he did that the door opens to reveal Stefan with a couple of bags in his hands. Stefan's eyes are full of curiosity as he notices Evie's erratic heartbeat and Klaus' very stiff posture but he decides not to mention anything... Although he has a basic idea of what he just interrupted. He just hands Evie the bags before heading to sit next to the Hybrid.


	4. The End Of The Affair

"You're interrupting my drink." Damon comments as he speaks to the Unknown Caller and takes a sip of the Whiskey he just poured.

"_Do you miss me?"_ a mocking-yet-sexy voice drawls through the phone line. Damon merely rolls his eyes; completely unaffected by the velvet tone.

"Katherine. Where are you?" He asks uncaringly.

"_Lurking around outside your window; hiding away._" She replies.

"What do you want?" He asks whilst he ignores her previous remark.

"_I'm homesick. What have I missed?_" She smirks whilst a gorgeous green-eyed man winks at her through the glass of the phone box she is stood in.

"Well, Stefan is _still_Klaus' little prisoner and Elena _still_ thinks that she can save him and no one has thought about you since you left." Damon catches her up to speed.

"_What about you?_" She grins, "_I'm sure now that you have given up on your brother you're plotting some sort of way to reign in on his girlfriend._"

"I haven't given up on him; I just don't know where he is." Damon replies matter-of-factly.

"_Hmm_..."

"But _you_ do," Damon realizes. "Are you _trailing_ them?" He asks with a hint of laughter in his voice. _Katherine? Trailing? Really?_

"_A hybrid who wants me dead and his sidekick who is off the rails; I couldn't be further away,"_ she retorts in an innocently sexy tone.

"That means you know exactly where they are," Damon murmurs.

"_All I know is that Klaus pitched a fit once his hybrids didn't work and now he is looking for some answers. Oh, and there seems to be another mini me lurking around."_

"Her name is Evie," he finds himself defending her which shocks him considering that she is a little bitch. "How do you know all that – about Klaus?"

"_When you're running there will be a few people along the way that are looking out for you._"

"Is that what you are doing?" Damon asks – feeling a ghost of the jealousy he once felt passionately, "looking out for my brother?"

"_Maybe, maybe not._" Katherine shrugs, "_I am conflicted._"

Damon feels himself about to reply but then he realizes _that's what she wants_ so he just frowns in agitation before demanding: "Where are they?"

"_Are you sure you want too-"_

"Katherine, _tell me where my brother is_." Damon demands impatiently. She smiles brightly – pleased with her agitation techniques. She has always been good at pressing Damon's buttons.

"_They are in Chicago._"

...

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan." Klaus smirks whilst he glances over at the sleeping form besides the Vampire he is talking to. After getting up at 6am the day after the attempt at making hybrids failed they have been travelling to Chicago. Klaus and Stefan endured five hours of Evelyn complaining about hunger, thirst and her lack of clothing until finally the hybrid had snapped and pulled over to a mall so she could get everything she needed. The trunk of their car is full of clothing bags; they bought a cooler so that Evie would no longer complain about her hunger, too. He wears a grim expression._She complains until I do as she wishes and then she gets tired. Typical._

Klaus opens up his door; leaving Evelyn in the car for the time being. Stefan glances at her uncomfortable expression before opening his door and following Klaus. The hybrid is already opening a door to the outside world from the garage they are in.

"What are we doing here?" The Vampire asks uneasily – he hates looking back at what he used to be like.

"I know how much you loved it here," Klaus smirks. "Bringing back memories of the good old _ripper_ days?"

"Their blacked out, mostly. Lots of blood a lot of partying. The details are all a blur." Stefan replies with his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Well that is a _crying_ shame," Klaus replies with a hint of inside humour. "The details are what makes it a _legend_... Chicago was magical."

"Yeah? I'll take your word for it," Stefan replies – slightly annoyed that he cannot remember a damn detail about those days. "I guess I don't remember most of it."

"Down to business then," Klaus replies strictly.

"Why am I still with you?" Stefan asks, "We had our fun – the hybrids failed. I mean don't you want to move on?" He asks with nervous eyes but a smile.

"We are going to see my favourite witch," he replies. He ignores Stefan's previous question; no one will stop him from creating more hybrids. _No one._

"_This is fucking ridiculous_," Klaus' smile falters slightly as the voice of Evie Gilbert emanates from the car. "_Do we have to sleep in cars!_"

"If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem," he gestures to the woman in the car – he is calling her that now. "It's my favourite witch."

"_I have a name; jackass._"

"Will you _please_ just shut _up_!" Klaus grumbles once he has sat back in the car again.

Stefan chuckles despite himself.

...

Elena Gilbert twists and turns in her slumber. She ends up lying across something warm and comfortable but it does not really register. She is far too tired to care.

"Rise and shine, sleepy-head." A soft, velvet-y voice coaxes her awake.

Elena slowly opens her eyes and looks up. Her chocolate brown eyes meet cerulean blue and a cocky smirk.

"AHH!" She shrieks in fright – pulling away from the other body now occupying the right side of her bed and pulls the bed sheets up so he cannot see her pyjamas. "What are you _doing_! Get out!" She yells.

"You know you were dreaming about me," he looks down at his shirt. "It explains the drool." He looks up with a smirk and, although Elena is mad, she feels her heart thump unevenly and her stomach flutters at his beauty. She turns away to stop herself from staring and moves some hair out of her face.

"Oh my God, wh—six am. Seriously? Do you really have nothing better to do at _six am_?" She asks sleepily; her eyes feel like they are going to drop close at any second.

"Fine then, _don't_ come with me to bring Stefan home." He smiles, "See ya!"

"Wait! W-w-w-wait! What? What are you talking about? Where is he?" She asks; her tiredness fades.

"Windy city," Damon replies.

"He is in Chicago?" She questions. Damon cannot help but think about how beautiful she looks even in the morning... He just nods to her question. Afraid his voice may be unsteady. "How do you know?"

"It came to me in a dream. I was naked. You would have _loved_ it." He grins at his own joke, "Start packing.

"Is he ok?"

"_Well_ let's just say he is not there to meet Oprah." Damon muses whilst he opens up Elena's top drawer and begins rummaging through it. "Ooh!" He lifts up a pair of red lacy knickers with a cocky glint in his eyes, "put these in the _yes_ pile!"

Elena's eyes widen as she realizes that he is going through her stuff _again_. She launches herself off of the bed, snatches the underwear from his hand, throws them back in the drawer and slams it shut. She looks up at him accusingly but he just smirks, shrugs and walks away.

...

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus asks Stefan who is currently looking around at the old bar. He feels a smile tugging up his lips despite the despise he holds for the 'ripper days'. Klaus finds himself smiling, too – but he is smiling at the memories.

"No," Evie replies sarcastically. Klaus' smile turns in to an eye roll as he looks down at her.

"I can't believe this place is still here," Stefan murmurs.

"I am presuming you have both been here before." Evie murmurs, "you two can take a nice fun trip down memory lane – in the meantime I will wait in the car-" She turns and goes to walk out but a warm set of fingers thread through her own – her eyes widen as she looks up to see the hybrid who kidnapped her smirking down at her.

"You will stay right here," he murmurs. If asked she would argue that he was compelling her... But he was not using compulsion. _Come to think of it he has not compelled me once. Not even when I was irritating him in the car yesterday._

"You have got to be kidding me," a dark skinned, _very_ short blonde haired woman speaks up from the right of the room. All eyes turn to her and Klaus smiles.

"So, a Hybrid walks in to a bar and says-"

"Stop," she rolls her eyes. "You may be invincible but that does not make you funny."

Stefan cannot believe that Gloria is still here. She was the singer in the bar back in the 1920's... If not dead then she _should_ be old... But she looks as if she has only ages about ten/twenty years _at the most_. Klaus chuckles – he has always found the witch amusing. Evie leans against the Hybrid who does not seem to act any different to what he would if she was his girlfriend. Instead of freezing up like yesterday he tightens his grip on her hand slightly.

"I remember you... Both of you," Gloria eyes up Stefan and the Evelyn. Even Klaus seems to be suddenly confused.

"You can't remember me... I wasn't even born in the 1920's." Evie corrects her.

"That was Katherine," Stefan realizes. "Anyway – yeah, you're _Gloria_."

"Mh-hm," the witch nods. Evie so desperately wants to ask who this Katherine person is but she does not want to interrupt the conversation at the same time. Klaus guides her closer to the group and she moves with him – _why am I holding his hand?_ She asks herself whilst he listens to the witch speak.

"Shouldn't you be-"

"Old and dead?" Gloria butts in, "now if I die who is going to run this place, huh?" She smiles.

"Gloria is a very powerful witch," Klaus explains to both Evelyn and Stefan.

"Wait! No one told me witches existed, too!" Evelyn yells.

"Shh!" Klaus hushes her softly.

"I've... slowed the aging down some with herbs and spells but don't worry; it will catch up to me one day." Gloria replies as she watches Klaus and the obvious descendant of Katerina's. She has always been very perceptive and once Klaus notices that she is trying to determine whether or not he feels something for the person he is planning on killing he pulls his hand away and moves away from her. Evie glances up at him and frowns – displeased by this... She feels safer with him near.

"Problem, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from the bar?"

"Fuck you with your dumbass nick-names," Evie draws her hand back and slaps Klaus for the seventh time in the past 2/3 days before heading to sit down on one of the many vacant chairs. Klaus just smirks and rubs his cheek gently, "Stefan?"

"Yeah, sure thing." He replies whilst he watches Evie storm out of the room.

"You look _ravishing_ by the way," Klaus uses his sexiest voice possible whilst he looks at her suggestively. Evie's attention in re-tuned. She looks up to see his flirtatious eyes and feels like punching herself when she realizes she is _jealous_. _WHAT!_

"Don't," Gloria holds up her hand and shakes her head. Klaus just smiles despite been turned down and sits down beside Evie. The eighteen year old stands up immediately and walks out of the bar – she feels that if she is around Klaus for one more minute she may be able to invent a way to kill the invincible hybrid.

"She's stubborn," Gloria smiles as she watches Evelyn leave.

"Yes she is," Klaus frowns in irritation.

"I know why you're here," she distracts him. "_You_ are out to make more hybrids; the news is travelling pretty fast."

"So what am I doing wrong?" He frowns, "I broke the curse. I find a twin of the doppelganger... Did I have to use her in the sacrifice? The witches _never_mentioned a twin."

"Well, obviously you did something wrong. Look, every spell has a loophole but a curse _that_ old... We would _have_ to contact the witch who created it and ask her what the twin has to do with it."

"That would be the original witch. She is _very_ dead." He adds with a smile. _I enjoyed killing that one._

"I _know_ and for me to contact her I will need help... Bring me Rebecca."

Evelyn walks back in at that point with a can of Pepsi in hand. She hangs around the door whilst she listens to the conversation going on between Gloria and Klaus.

"Rebecca..." He looks around at anything but Gloria whilst he speaks with a huge smile. "Rebecca is a bit preoccupied."

"She has what we will need. Bring her to me."

Klaus' smile fades. _Fantastic,_ he thinks sarcastically.

"What is this?" Stefan asks; the question gathers the other three occupants' attention. Evelyn feels herself walking over to Stefan to see what he is talking about.

"Well, I told you Stefan. Chicago is a magical place," Klaus' smile returns.

"This is me... With _you_," Stefan explains whilst Evie plucks the picture from Stefan's hand. She sees the picture and giggles.

"Well, you both look _ravishing_," she glances up at Klaus who realizes she is acting extra Katherine-esque because of what he said to Gloria earlier. He smirks. "But Klaus... What is up with that gelling thing?" She begins to laugh – it is a musical sound that causes the wind to be knocked from Stefan for a moment. Her laugh is just like Elena's... And Katherine's.

"It was the style back then, problem." He glares at her but even the irritating nickname is doing nothing to her right now.

"You look so stupid!" She giggles; not been able to help herself. She is well aware that he is a Vamp-wolf that could tear out her internal organs but she cannot help it. Besides, it is not like he will actually do it.

"Come on." Klaus ignores the remarks that Evelyn makes about his hair back in the 20's now. "But that bloody picture down and get your doppelganger self out of this bar. We are going somewhere else."

"Where?" Stefan asks.

"All in due time, my friend." He replies.

...

Elena's chocolate brown eyes scan the list of names written on the wall. She does not want to look at the names but she cannot help it – it is as if they are jumping out and screaming at her to look. The first name on the list... It is his Father. Giuseppe Salvatore. _Why would he do that? Was he proud that he killed his own Dad?_

"Still handling it?" Damon asks in a chilling tone.

Her poor heart is racing in fear and dread. How could he have been _this_ bad? Truth be told she was not expecting him to have been quite as sinister as this. She needs to reply to Damon, though. Damon cannot win. She inhales and exhales a few times until she comes up with something to say.

"What were you doing in the nineteen-twenties? Paving the way for women's liberation?" She snaps sarcastically.

"I was around. Chicago is a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche but I could avoid him and still indulge in a few Daisy Buchannan's of my own." The evil glint burns in those cerulean blue eyes... Elena just gives him a disgusted and pouty look. He rolls his eyes and walks away.

"Where are you going?" She asks.

"To Stefan's old stomping ground."

"I'm going with you!" Elena argues.

"No! You stay here and whip up an actual plan. I'll come back when I find him," Damon smiles before leaving Elena - alone - in Stefan's 'ripper' apartment. Leaves her to conjure up the amount of all those people on the list that may have died in this very room. Goosebumps cover her whole body as she searches for a distraction.

...

"This doesn't make any sense! _Why_ don't I remember you!" Stefan asks in annoyance.

"The better question is why would you _want_to?" Evie asks whilst she switches the song on her iPod.

"Oh shut up, Evelyn; you said it yourself, Stefan. That time had a lot of dark holes," Klaus explains.

"No, if you knew me then why haven't you said anything!" Stefan's tone is getting louder. Evie can see that he is obviously getting very angry at the fact that he does not remember the man who supposedly killed her sister... She would love to know how that happened but something tells her that she cannot mention that Elena is alive.

"I am a little busy right now; memory lane. You will have to wait." He mocks and Stefan loses his temper. He grabs Klaus' arm and spins him to face him. Evie has a sharp intake of breath as she watches the Hybrid's eyes settle on the younger Vampire. The _last_ thing she wants is to watch two Supernatural creatures lock horns.

"What the _hell_is going on!_Answer me_!" Stefan growls.

Klaus reaches down, takes hold of Stefan's offending arm and lifts it away from his. He smiles again – that same sarcastic and sadistic smile – before answering: "Let's just say we did not get off to a brilliant start. To be honest I _hated_ you."

"I am so confused! Evelyn shrieks, finally losing it. Both the Hybrid and the Vampire turn to the young woman in surprise. "WILL YOU PLEASE CLEAR ALL THIS BULLSHIT UP FOR ME! Okay, so apparently I am a doppelganger and my twin sister _was_ a doppelganger and then there was some sacrifice and... What was that _for_!"

"Not now, Evie." Stefan begs desperately. "I swear I will explain it all later but can you let him finish, please?"

"Ugh, fine. Whatever. Continue on with your stupid story about the nineteen-twenties whilst I just stand here and wonder how you two have managed to look so gorgeous even though you are older than my grandparents!" She throws her hands up in exasperation before realizing what she just said – and blushes. Stefan shrugs off the name because he is fairly used to been gossiped and giggled about... Klaus, on the other hand, cannot and will not let it go.

_Later,_ he thinks with a smile. _But for now..._

He tells Stefan of the first time they met. He had been having a rather passionate moment with his younger sister, Rebecca, when he had walked in and pulled her away. He told her that he was bored and wanted to go home. When he mentioned that he had said Stefan had funny hair the scoff from Evelyn did not go unnoticed but he did ignore it. Once he has finished Stefan is in shock.

"Your sister... So I knew another original Vampire?" Stefan sounds disbelieving.

"If you can't handle it then don't ask," Klaus replies whilst walking towards one of the numerous coffins that Evelyn has just now noticed. She admires them in horror; when she realizes that Klaus is opening one of them she shrieks.

"DON'T! THAT IS SO DISGUSTING!" She wails, her knees buckle as a wave of nausea hits her.

"Shut up," Klaus replies before lifting the lid. What Evie sees horrifies her – the woman's body is... preserved. That should be impossible but it is. Her veins are all raised and seem to have frozen the blood inside of them. She is wearing a very vintage outfit and Evie realizes that she must have been in there for a long time. She realizes that Klaus did this and feels anger shoot through her.

"You _monster_!" She yells, garnering the attention of the Hybrid as he strokes his sister's ice cold cheek. "You did that to her! You know I wanted to try and find something redeemable about you. I wanted to help you find your human side again... But killing your own _sister_? Your own _family_... You are disgusting, Klaus. I hope this little road trip is over soon because I would rather be dead than spend any more time with _you_... And _you_," she spits over her shoulder to Stefan on the way out.

"Feisty," Klaus laughs but there is something strained about the sound.

"I don't recognize her," Stefan murmurs.

"Don't tell her that. Rebecca's temper is worse that our little doppelganger-turned-psychiatrist." Klaus chuckles before pulling out the dagger. "Time to wake up, little sister."

...

Klaus has left Stefan to watch over Rebecca and to let him know when she wakes up. In the meantime he has gone to the outside world where the sun is just beginning to set. He spots the doppelganger sitting with her knees hugged to her chest and tears drying on her cheeks. She is wearing a casual dress today; it is grey at the top with vested sleeves. There is a thick black strap that goes around her waist and to finish it off there is a couple of black netted layers that finish at her thighs. The dress hugs her body up until the netted skirt; underneath that she is wearing a pair of black tights and some black pumps to finish it off. Her hair is down again and in its usual pretty curls – she has no make-up with her now but, let's face it, the doppelgangers are all beautiful enough to not need make-up.

Klaus knows she has not seen him and a part of him is glad that she has not. Although he thought what she said inside was ridiculous he is beginning to understand why she had thought it up in the first place. He has been showing a lot more of his human side... He does not mind Stefan seeing that but he did not even begin to consider how someone like Evelyn would react. For the first time in a _long_ time fear sends a small chill up his spine. He wants to go over there and apologize... Apologize? That is ridiculous! He is a Hybrid. He does not feel and more importantly he does not love... Although seeing his little sister again has brought some of those long-buried feelings to the surface. As much as he hates to admit it so has Evelyn.

And then the idea flashes through his mind and somehow he is grasping on to it before he can argue with himself about it so much that he decides not to. He slowly makes his way over until her watery brown eyes look up and meet his. The sadness fades and hatred, anger and humiliation take its place. He can see that she did not want him to see her crying over him.

"Leave me alone," she mumbles.

"No." He crouches down in front of her and takes her soft hands in to his. "I have to apologize for what I just did... Evelyn, I appreciate that you care about me. I don't quite understand _how_ you could care about me. I killed your sister; I took you away from everything you knew. I am a very selfish man, as you may know already. To have somebody see straight past the monster and stare in to my deeply buried humanity is such a wonderful feeling. I need to thank you for been able to do that. I am sorry; sorry that I am such a monster. But I am like this for a reason, sweetheart. I never wanted it to be this way but it _has_ to be... So do not fall for me... I don't think I could handle it this time." He chokes the last part. Evelyn is hypnotized and completely and utterly paralysed in shock from his words. And last time?

"Did you really just say all that?" She asks in disbelief. "Am I dreaming?"

"I... I think I did. And no, this is certainly not a dream." He whispers; praying to God that Stefan heard none of this. Evelyn feels her heartbeat quicken as their eyes lock. She gnaws her lower lip nervously as she watches them soften – _just one... Just one..._ Klaus thinks to himself as he watches her chew on her lip. His tongue darts out to wet his own; they both begin to lean in.

"NO!" Klaus roars as he pulls away, crawling away from her desperately. She watches him in shock – he sees the shock turn to rejection and then anger. She grinds her teeth as she stands up and stalks away from him.

"You bastard!" She yells, "Ugh!"

"No." He is suddenly in front of her and she jumps at the sudden appearance. He takes hold of her upper arms and has her chocolate brown and now_very_ tear-filled eyes meet his. For a moment guilt kicks in and he can do nothing; but then he remembers what he has to do.

"Forget we had this conversation. You stormed out of the room and you were crying because of how much of a monster I am. That is all you will remember."

"I will forget we had this conversation," Evelyn's eyes are distant and her voice is monotone as she repeats the words. "I stormed out of the room and I was crying because of how much of a monster you are. That is all I will remember."

...

Evelyn is still not speaking whilst the car pulls up to a block of old looking apartments. Ever since she realized that there is nothing redeemable about Klaus she has not wanted to speak to anyone. _How could he do that?_ She keeps asking herself. _He didn't even come to see if I was ok. He just left me to cry... I thought he would at least—no. I should not have thought he would apologize. He is a monster; he feels nothing for anybody. I know that now._

"Everything alright, sweetheart?" Klaus asks with those sickly humoured eyes – as if he is enjoying her discontentment. She knows that is only fair (because she loves irritating him, too) but it is unnecessary and just cruel to do this right now.

"Just go," she replies with so much anger that her voice is quivering. The Hybrid just smiles and winks before climbing out; Evie turns to the window and folds her arms over her chest. She is pouting – sulking because she was wrong. She really thought that Klaus was actually _starting_ to feel something human again... The way he looked at her and the way he seemed to almost appreciate her hug that night when the Hybrids failed.

Evelyn has always hated been wrong but she has realized she was. Klaus' humanity is dead... And if it isn't then he wants to keep on pretending that it is.

_If only he had not compelled her..._

...

Elena thought she was going to be sick as she heard Klaus opened the secret alcoholic cupboard where she was hiding. She has never been so terrified in her _life_! She is standing and just waiting... Waiting for the Hybrid to realize and make a dramatic return. Waiting for him to swoop her away and _kill_ her again. Damon thinks that Evelyn has something to do with breaking the curse but Elena has a _horrible_ gut feeling that both of them do.

When footsteps echo off the stairs Elena's heart picks up again. She watches in terror as the door opens and sighs in relief when she sees it is Damon. And then, of course, she gets mad.

"Finally! I called you an hour ago!" Elena complains.

"Make yourself look presentable; I know where Stefan is going to be tonight." Damon smiles proudly; ignoring Elena's complaint.

"I told you that I was practically discovered by Klaus and you're worried about what I'm _wearing_?" Elena asks in a mix of anger and disbelief. Damon lounges across the small couch but anybody could see how tense he really is.

"I had an hour to realize what a bad idea it was to leave you here alone, process it and move on." But Damon certainly does not look like he has moved on. He looks crazy, angry at himself and at the situation _he_ ended up putting Elena in. The guilt is the worst. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Elena just nods. She does not want to push him.

"Okay, good. Get dressed – you're all road trippy and gross." He adds on in a lighter tone.

"Do you know where he's going to be?"

"Yeah, with Klaus. So I will distract Klaus and you deal with getting Stefan and Evie back." Damon explains.

"Okay," Elena sighs shakily. "Thank you."

Damon frowns and meets Elena's eyes with what she thought was curiosity; until he began to speak.

"But you're going to have about five minutes tops before that Hybrid _freak_ rips my heart out, so... _Please, tell me you can do this_." Damon begs softly.

_Worriedly._

"I need to save Evie and Stefan, Damon... I'll do whatever I have to do." Elena keeps her eyes on Damon's whilst she promises. Nerves begin to bubble to the surface – _What if it goes wrong? What if Klaus finds me...? What if..._

...

"Where is Rebecca?" Gloria looks Klaus in the eye tiredly whilst placing his bottle down in front of him.

"She'll be here... I _can_ just conjure her on demand," the comment earns a smile from Gloria. Klaus takes a sip of his drink before turning to the very quiet Miss Gilbert just as Stefan gets up after making up a quick excuse of 'needing a real drink'.

"What's with you? I thought you would like Chicago," Klaus smiles as he looks down at her.

"I guess Chi-town just isn't my scene," Evelyn mumbles sulkily. She is too worn out both emotionally and physically to even try and antagonise the Hybrid anymore... Although he seems to be enjoying turning the tables; just like in the car earlier on.

"Well, I am sure a shot may change your mind." He smiles secretively whilst he pours two shots and slides a small glass over to her. She slides it straight back.

"I don't drink. You know that," Evelyn grimaces.

"Just one little drink won't harm you," he argues with a roll of his eyes.

"It may not harm me but it will harm my morality." She retorts with accusing eyes. He keeps his on hers for a moment – emerald/sapphire on chocolate brown. He sees what she is getting at but chooses to ignore it. It has to do with the whole 'I want to make you human again' speech and he is not buying it.

"Evelyn, sweetheart. Can I make something _very_ clear to you?" He holds out his hand to her and she cautiously allows hers to slip in to his. The Hybrid pulls her closer just as Damon Salvatore walks in to the bar and he spots them almost immediately. He frowns – watching before getting involved. _What is she doing?_

"What?" She asks bitchily; earning an evil smile from Klaus. He pulls her wrist up so it brushes against his nose and inhales deeply. She watches in a hypnotic gaze as the black veins rise below his eyes. When he exhales it is an almost _pleasured_ sigh – she can see his fangs elongating. When he opens his eyes she realizes she was leaning in for a better look and now their noses are now brushing. She is hypnotised yet _terrified_ by the changes his body is making. He smiles dashingly and although her body is reacting in a lustful way it is also in flight mode. Her heart is hammering with both desire _and_ fear. Adrenaline pumps through her veins in anticipation of both the closeness they have right now and the need to run. She wants to run but some sort of electricity is sparking through her body – the shocks are so strong that she stays exactly where she is.

"You don't scare _me_, Klaus." He understands that by 'me' she is referring to her mind; not her body's natural instincts to be scared. "In fact it looks..." She shrugs whilst she lifts her hand up to touch the veins dancing in his face. He makes a strange hissing sound that no ordinary human could _ever_make but it just sends a thrill of anticipation up her spine.

"I am sure you already understand that my humanity is _long_gone. Now be careful, love. Step back before I do something we will _both_regret." He whispers softly; his smile revealing those delicious fangs again. Evelyn has to inhale sharply to stop from swooning as she smirks.

"To kiss or to kill?" She muses whilst she admires the dark glowing of his eyes. Black as onyx but as gold as the sun. "That is the question."

With that she pulls away and walks over to the woman's rest room – her hopes returning just a little bit whilst she thinks: _If he had lost all humanity there would be no fireworks between us – he would just kill me_. Once Klaus has turned back to his drink and his thoughts of '_why did I do that?'_ kick in Damon decides to show up. He steps in front of Evelyn – she looks up and is about to shout at the guy for been rude until she notices it is him.

"Damon?" Evie hisses in shock, "What are you _doing_ here!"

"I'm here to get you away from _him_," he snaps whilst pointing over to Klaus. "Although from the look of your little conversation with a certain Hybrid it seems like you want to be _closer_... Care to explain?"

"I... I," she inhales shakily. "How much of that did you just see?"

"Well I watched the whole eye-sex scene carry out if that is what you mean," his eyes are so angry and accusing that she has to turn away in guilt. "_Well_?"

"I can't... I would explain but I _can't_, okay? He's so _hot_ but that is it I _swear_!"

"He's also going to _kill you_ if you stay here!" He growls – trying to force the hypnotised young woman to see things his way. "Unless that's just it – a death wish."

"Damon! I don't want to die," she rolls her eyes. "Anyway – you can't really complain about that. Oh, _does Klaus know Elena is alive?_" She lip-speaks the last six words just in case and Damon shakes his head.

"Stefan does-" he pauses to point over to Klaus, "doesn't and _cannot_."

"Ah," she nods. "So, are you here to steal away with me or to go up to Klaus and practically yell '_kill me_!'?" Evie asks in a squeaky voice that is supposed to resemble a scream. Damon just gives her a weird look but chuckles.

"Seriously? I do _not_ sound like that."

"Ok, whatever you say." She shrugs before pushing through the doors of the girl's restroom. Damon rolls his eyes before heading down to where Klaus is sat pouring out more shots in to the glasses. He sits down and feels the worry from earlier return. _He's going to fucking kill me._

"I see they've opened the doors to the riff-raff, now." Klaus comments sulkily whilst he takes a drink.

"Oh, honey I've been called worse." Damon replies in a calm tone. Klaus laughs once in amusement... And irritation. He hates how Stefan's big brother just keeps popping up. His brother's girl is dead so now he is lonely – but why should Klaus care about that? Trust me: he does not care about Damon_at all_.

"You keep showing up. Trailing along; hanging on to my coattails..."

"Maybe that is because you have taken my brother and my friend. Give them back to me and I will leave you alone," Damon replies.

"I cannot be doing that," Klaus replies – feigning sympathy, "you see your brother is a very easy companion... I wish I could say the same about Miss Evelyn. She is a feisty one, isn't she?" he sighs in irritation.

"Don't mess with her." Damon grinds his teeth and Klaus raises his eyebrows at the younger Vampire's hint of a threat.

"I do not intend to mess with her – I need her life; that is all." He shrugs.

"You need _nothing_ from her," Damon spits. The Hybrid smiles again.

"You don't give up, do you?" He asks; the Vampire has done a lot to keep the doppelgangers protected. _Now that Elena is dead is Evelyn his next love target?_ He wonders grimly.

"Give me my brother and Evie back and you'll never have to see me again," Damon reminds Klaus.

"Well, I am torn. You see I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die but how many freebies did I _really_ sign up for? Including you want to die otherwise you wouldn't be here, so..." Klaus just shrugs whilst Damon searches his mind for a comeback.

"What can I say?" The older Salvatore smirks, "I'm a thrill seeker."

Klaus feels himself falling over the edge. Evie's wind-ups, his confusing emotions for the newly-discovered doppelganger, resurrecting Rebecca _and_ the annoying Salvatore's antics have really messed with him. He wants to kill someone – he _needs_ to kill someone. He will feel so much better once he has taken away somebody's life because when you kill you do not have to think... And more importantly you do not have to _feel._

Klaus lunges his hand to Damon's throat; he is sick and tired of this mischievous little brat. _This_ is the life he wants to end; so he shall.

Evelyn chooses a very good time to emerge from the restroom. She looks across the bar to see that it is practically empty aside from Damon and Klaus – Klaus who has Damon by the throat. Her heat begins pounding as she shakes her head frantically.

"NO!" She shrieks whilst she runs over to them.

...

"You shouldn't be here," Stefan mumbles.

"Where else would I be?" Elena frowns – she is searching for something... There is something missing from his eyes. Or maybe it is that she should feel odd around him after two months of been apart... But she doesn't. In fact this is the first time in two months where she has felt whole: like herself again.

"What do you want? Damon won't be able to distract Klaus for long." He whispers.

Elena knows this, already. She lifts her hand and cups his cheek – her eyes are on his as she whispers: "come home."

_I would if I could_, he thinks desperately whilst he looks down at her. Although Evelyn looks just like Elena he cannot help but relish in the fact that those beautiful brown eyes are staring in to his. Evie is nothing like Elena. She is _too_ feisty to be mistaken for Elena; and she wears her hair like Katherine's. The heartbroken brunette wraps her arms around him then and it takes every ounce of his strength to restrain himself from hugging her back... Although this is making him feel just a little bit better. He notices her arm moving, though. Moving like it did that time in the house when he had been addicted to human blood again...

He grabs her wrist and pulls it up to reveal a vervain dart. His grip tightens in anger and Elena whimpers from the pain. When he speaks his voice is very cold... For the first time in a _long_ time Elena really is afraid of him.

"How much clearer can I make it? I don't _want_ to come home!" He releases her hand which makes Elena feel a little less scared... But the fear is still there – although the need for him to be with her is stronger.

...

"Klaus, NO!" Evelyn yells helplessly as he lifts Damon off of his feet by the throat. Klaus is obviously a little drunk which does not help the situation at all; she curses and kicks one of the bar stools – she curses again when pain shoots through her foot. After a crunching sound echoes through the room she feels herself go nauseas.

"Oh dear, what was that?" Klaus feigns sympathy but his eyes are full of anger. He really hates Damon; he is regretting giving him the Werewolf bite cure... He would have loved to watch him die painfully.

"KLAUS LET HIM _GO_!" Evelyn finds a sudden wave of strength – she wraps her hands around his arm and tugs at it but it is like she is trying to move a marble statue. Klaus' eyes go black-and-gold and he flashes his teeth at her.

"Get _off of me_ before I do something I will regret later on," he hisses coldly. Evelyn steps closer to him and keeps her fiery chocolate eyes locked on the glowing yellow of his.

"No."

Klaus smiles and then she just passes out.

"What did you _do_!" Damon chokes.

"A little compulsion trick. She'll be fine when she wakes up – if she didn't injure herself on the way down to the floor, that is. She is fearless, isn't she?" He asks fondly before shaking his head, "Anyway; I'm a little boozie so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries." Damon chuckles but really he is _freaking out_ inside. His neck is fractured – the fact that Klaus' hand is keeping it from healing just makes it hurt like _Hell_. The Salvatore cries out in pain as Klaus' choice of weapon – a cocktail umbrella - stabs in to his chest. _What a great way to die_, Damon thinks sarcastically. _Death by umbrella_.

"Ooo, almost!" He is enjoying watching the Vampire squirm and cry out. Causing pain is _so_ much better than dealing with your own. Confusing life, confusing _emotions_... He is sick of allowing himself to drink his way in to not having to deal with certain emotions that a passed out doppelganger has brought on – he wants to kill somebody now. He twists the umbrella just to hear Damon cry out in pain again.

"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan – I'm _so_ much more fun!" Damon offers in a slightly... Actually, a _desperate_ attempt to save his own life. The Hybrid pretends to think about it for a moment before launching Damon in to a table. Smashing glass and splintering wood noises echo around the room whilst he walks over to a chair and breaks the leg to make a stake.

"You won't be any _fun_ after you're _dead_." He replies emotionlessly before lifting up the stake.

_This is it,_ Damon accepts. _I'm officially going to die. Let's just hope Elena gets Stefan out of here; maybe she can save him and he can take care of her. Maybe Klaus—_

But then the stake catches alight; and seeing as Vampire's are so flammable Klaus drops the offending object immediately. Both men turn to see Gloria stood beside the bar.

"_Really_?" Klaus asks; irritated at the fact he has not killed this Vampire yet.

"Not in my bar," Gloria shakes her head disapprovingly. "You take it outside."

Klaus turns to see Damon is going to get up but he pushes him down again. "You don't have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him he won't _want_ to go back." The Hybrid smiles to himself before standing up. He decides to head over to Evelyn to check for any injuries.

...

"Klaus is _obsessed_with siring these Hybrids – the second he knows you're alive he will figure out why it's not working!" Stefan explains desperately.

"Look, I know you're trying to protect me but I can't let you _do_ it! Come with me, Stefan. Please!"

"WHAT DO YOU EXPECT IF I DO, huh?" He shocks Elena with the sudden burst of anger but he doesn't care. She is been naive and they _both_ know it! "It's _never going to be the same, Elena._"

"I know that," tears form in her eyes as she says this.

"I don't think you do," he replies sadly. She attempts to swallow the lump building in her throat but it doesn't budge. "I've left bodies _scattered_ from Florida to Tennessee. Innocent people. _Humans_." He tries to explain; he feels so guilty for _everything_ he has done and he needs her to know that... But he also wants her to understand that he cannot go back to his 'normal' life, now. This is who he is.

"Lexi found you like this before in the twenties and she _saved_ you-"

"And do you know what I did after that? I spent _thirty years_ trying to pull myself together! To a Vampire that's not that's nothing but to you? That's _half your life_!" He whispers.

"I _can't_ give up on you, Stefan! And what about my sister? Are you just going to let him _kill her_!" Elena snaps angrily. She does not want to face all of those truths... She just wants Stefan. She doesn't want to think about reality she just wants _him_ and her sister back!

"Yes you can," he argues. "It's done... That part of my life is _done_. I don't _want_ to see you – I don't _want_ to be with you! And as for Evelyn..." His eyes are so cold; icy. They remind her of Klaus'. _He has turned Stefan in to a monster... A monster just like himself._She thinks heartbrokenly, tears well in her eyes at the pain. "I won't tell Klaus that you're still alive but if Evelyn_has_ to die I won't be the one to stop him from killing her... I just... I just want you to _go_."

With that he turns his back... Her heartbroken and tear-filled expression burned in to the back of his mind for all of eternity.

...

Damon climbs in to the car silently; both of them have been drowning in their saddened thoughts for about an hour now. He has decided to climb out of the unknown depths and speak:

"Are you ok?" He murmurs.

"Just drive," she replies – holding on to her necklace as if she is somehow holding on to the Stefan she once knew and loved... Because the _monster_back there was somebody else.

...

Klaus walks in to the warehouse uncertainly. Once he reaches his sisters empty coffin he looks around – the first thing he notices is the dead security guard he had compelled to watch over his family and to give his life over to her.

"Rebecca?" He calls to the seemingly empty room – but he knows she is lurking around somewhere. "It's your big brother! Come out, come out wherever you are!"

The Hybrid inhales sharply as pain shoots through his heart. The dagger has just torn its self through his chest and _fuck_ does it hurt.

"Go to Hell, Nik!" She hisses angrily.

Evie stomps in at that moment in time. She is still _extremely_pissed with Klaus for forcing her to pass out earlier and still has some anger to take out on him. When her eyes meet the dagger going in to Klaus' chest she shrieks.

"NO!" She wails, earning the newly awakened Vampire's attention. She knows that the girl is a doppelganger immediately... But why is she upset over her stabbing Klaus? Surely she knows that he wants to kill her. She watches as the girl runs over and attempts to reach for the blade but Klaus has already tugged it out. He drops it on the floor and keeps his eyes locked with Rebecca's.

"Don't pout – you knew it wouldn't kill me," He scoffs.

"Yeah but I was hoping it would _hurt_ more," She snaps before turning to Evie. The doppelganger swallows uneasily as her brown eyes fill with uncertainty. "I see the doppelganger has taken quite a shine to you. How strange," she turns and begins to walk away. Evie wants to make an obnoxious retort like she would if Klaus had said it but something tells her that this Vampire _would_ kill her.

"I understand that you're upset with me, Rebecca," He places a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going any further, "So I'm going to let that go... Just this once," he is smiling but he is warning her. She just frowns at him – Evie watches the exchange in jealousy. She is wishing that she could be as pretty as the resurrected Original. "I brought you a little peace offering."

"Her?" She turns back to the doppelganger.

"No," he turns to the corner. "You can come in."

Stefan walks around the corner and the frown disappears. Evie finds herself smiling for the woman as her whole face lights up in joy.

"Stefan," she smiles.

He does not smile back.

...

Klaus steps away from Evelyn's side and walks over to Stefan. He places his hand on his comrade's shoulder and compels him:

"Now you remember."

Stefan closes his eyes as all the black blanks of the 1920's fill themselves in again. All the times he danced with Rebecca; all the times he stood laughing and joking with... With Klaus. _Everything comes back._

He takes another look at Rebecca and sees the enchantingly beautiful woman he had seen ninety years ago rather than the stranger he had just seconds before. He smiles, a slight charm is in the movement. The memories are making him re-live those ripper days – back when he had the charm of Damon and was not an 'insufferable martyr'.

"Rebecca," he whispers.

"Stefan?" Klaus murmurs. The Vampire swivels around so he is looking at the Hybrid and feels brotherly feelings go through him. He just stands and looks over Klaus for a moment before speaking to him. A memory of him asking a man to take a picture 'of him and his brother' for him comes to the front of his mind.

"I remember you," he whispers. "We were friends."

"We _are_ friends," the Hybrid replies with a smile – a real smile. "And now the reason you're here," he turns to Rebecca with a serious expression. "Gloria tells me you know how to contact the Original Witch."

"The Original Witch?" Rebecca asks snidely with raised eyebrows. Klaus glares at her tone – she knows it irritates him.

"You have what Gloria _needs_," he snaps.

Evelyn watches the beautiful woman of Stefan's past lift a delicate hand to her throat. Her eyes widen as soon as her hand does not meet the little antique necklace that she had been given a thousand years before.

"Where is my necklace? What did you do with it? I never take it off!" She gasps.

_Fuck,_ Stefan curses himself internally.

"I don't know, I haven't touched it." Klaus replies uncaringly.

"We need to find it, Nik! Now!"

"Tell me that's not what she needs," he snaps.

"I WANT IT BACK!" She yells.

"TELL ME THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE _NEEDS,_REBECCA!"

The blonde Original shrugs Klaus' hands off of her shoulders and storms over to her coffin. She searches the box in a flustered panic. Evie is getting more and more uncomfortable by the second – it is when she looks over at Stefan's sheepish expression that she realizes.

"_You know..."_ She lip-speaks.

"_Elena has it_," he mouths back in anger – anger at himself. He still loves Elena; what he said to her was just to get her away from him. If only he had known that the necklace belonged to an Original Vampire... An Original _Witch_!

Both Evie and Stefan remain silent whilst the two Originals let out their frustrations.

...

"This hotel is _really_ fancy," Evie comments to Klaus as he hovers around – searching for a bottle of alcohol. Stefan went to sleep as soon as they checked in whilst Rebecca decided to go clothes shopping... That is if there are any shops open at this time of night. _She'll probably steal them if needs be,_ Evie shrugs.

"Yes, well, the best is necessary when you are in a mood like mine." Klaus mumbles once he finally finds a bottle of wine, "bingo!"

"Is _that_ necessary?" Evelyn asks the Hybrid with raised eyebrows, "I mean you're already drunk... Do you need more?"

"I'll have as much as I like, thank you." He snaps sarcastically whilst he pulls the lid off of the bottle.

"Fine, I'm just looking out for you." She replies before pulling the blanket over her on the couch. Klaus looks down at her with a drunken frown and sighs heavily.

"Will you stop doing that?" He slurs.

"Doing _what_?" She snaps, "Come on I haven't tried to press your buttons for _hours_ now!"

"I'm not talking about you trying to irritate me – I am talking about you pretending to care about me. I took you away from your home and friends so that I can kill you for my own selfish gain; stop trying to make me feel guilty because it isn't working," he lies.

"Ok, hold on a minute!" Evie throws the blanket off of her and storms over to where he is stood. "Do you suffer from some sort of mood swings or something! I am doing that because believe it or not I really _do_ seem to care about you. God, one minute you hate me and the next you like me and the next you're pushing me away! Stop _doing that_!"

"Doing what?" He rolls his eyes before drinking straight from the bottle.

"Ok, first off put that down and second of all _listen to me_!" She yells before tugging the wine out of his hand. Klaus is ridiculously drunk right now – how a Vamp-Wolf manages to get so drunk she does not know but drunk he certainly is! It doesn't help that he is also an unpredictable and emotional mess but she is willing to take the chances.

"Fine, what?" He asks.

"Klaus, why do you do this? Today you seemed to hate me at first and _then_ you held my hand and it felt kind of nice but _then_ you made me cry and... You are confusing me so much! What the _Hell_ am I to you!" She shrieks in anger and confusion.

"I've only known you for two days," he frowns from the headache he has. "But you're very beautiful." One of Klaus' hands cup her cheek fondly as he stares down in to her molten chocolate eyes – her cheek grows warmer as a blush travels in to them.

"Uh, thank you?" She makes it sound like a question before shaking him off. "This is ridiculous... You're drunk; you don't know what you're saying." She laughs bitterly.

"No, no! I do. I think you're beautiful and I'm falling for you. Evelyn, you're just like me."

"Ok, if you tell me all of this when you have woken up and got over a vicious hangover then I will believe you." She rolls her eyes before guiding the Hybrid in to his bedroom. Once the door is closed he collapses on to his bed immediately.

Silence.

This is when Evelyn lets out her shaky breath and clasps on to the nearest thing possible. _Did he mean all of that?_She wonders before shaking her head as if to remove the offending thought, _No! He is going to kill me; what does it matter? Nothing could EVER happen... Elena would hate me._

But he was right – both of them are very much alone; even when thousands of people are surrounding them. Evelyn has no one who really knows her for who she is and neither does Klaus, really. His sister did know him but after he murdered her she must have fallen behind on his emotional changes. It does explain why she is drawn to him so much; why it feels right to hold his hand and show him she cares even though she has only just met him. She realizes that they are a _lot_ more alike than she originally thought...

And that _terrifies _her... Because it isn't just one-sided. Both of them are feeling something _unusual_ for the other. Something they should definitely not be feeling...

_What's happening to me?_ She hangs her head in her hands in pure frustration.


	5. Disturbing Behaviour

On a bustling, busy street in Chicago our three rippers and one half of the doppelganger duo are on one of the high street clothing stores. It's very modern style still has Rebekah's head spinning but she is taking in as much of the twenty-first century as she can. It irritates her to no end that she had to be thrown in to all of this rather than evolving in to it like her brother and ex-lover but, hey, at least she is actually alive now!

Stefan and Klaus are lounging on some rather comfortable chairs in front of the dressing rooms with glasses of white wine in their hands. Evelyn is currently dancing around to the music out of boredom and singing along – the song playing at the moment is 'ready to go' by Martin Solveig and Kele. Klaus watches her with keen eyes – she is wearing some black skinny jeans and a white silk camisole. The outfit makes her look _delicious_... In more ways than one.

One of the shop assistants makes her way over with the bottle of wine to re-fill Klaus' glass. He smirks suggestively up at her as she does and grins as she blushes. Evelyn notices the exchange and feels jealousy flood through her – of course she will not _show_ how much that affects her. She is still trying to fight these _very bad_ budding feelings for the Hybrid who wants to kill her.

"There _has_ to be more to this dress!" Rebekah calls from the dressing room.

"There's not," Klaus explains whilst he proceeds to check the assistance's ass out. Evie turns away so Stefan does not notice her grinding her teeth. A rustling gathers all of their attention – Evie turns back to see Rebekah has come out of the dressing room in a small black dress.

"_Wow_! That dress is _amazing_!" Evelyn gawps. She wishes she could be as pretty as the Original.

"I look like a prostitute!" She snaps to the doppelganger before pouting to her brother, "Is this _really_ how girls in the twenty-first century dress?"

"I'm not complaining," Klaus grins before taking a drink.

"You know I got dirty looks for wearing _trousers_!" Rebekah complains irritably.

"You wore trousers so women today could wear nothing," Klaus reminds her.

"And what is this music?" She asks whilst she looks at Evie in disgust – the doppelganger stops singing along immediately. "It sounds like a cable car accident!"

Klaus rolls his eyes – Rebekah's constant complaining makes Evelyn's constant complaining seem almost enjoyable.

"Its dance music," Stefan explains – noticing that Klaus is getting irritated.

"People dance to this?" Rebekah asks in disbelief and Stefan nods.

"Are we done?" Evelyn asks tiredly.

"And why are _you_ so grumpy?" The blonde asks Evelyn sarcastically.

"Where do I begin?" She chuckles humourlessly, "first of all I get dragged away from my home because he wants to kill me and _then_ he gives me all this stupid mixed signals and _then_ he resurrects a spoilt _brat_ of a sister who seems to have a problem with me."

Klaus looks away awkwardly – he was hoping that the doppelganger would not remember last night's drunken conversation but his hopes have just been proven untrue. Stefan and Rebekah glance Klaus' way in disbelief as he refuses to make _any_ eye-contact.

"Who gives you the right to talk to me like that!" Rebekah growls angrily.

"Well, if I'm going to die I may as well enjoy the remaining moments of life I have by making all your lives a misery." She smirks before continuing to sing the song playing – ending the conversation.

"Are you sure you don't know where your necklace is?" Stefan asks – the tension is rising to a dangerous level. He needs to distract the Originals.

"I'm _positive_, Stefan." She snaps.

"I brought you back – I needed _one_ thing from you for my Witch to find out why my Hybrid's were dying. _One thing_ – your necklace... And you _lost it_." Klaus rolls his eyes after explaining.

"I didn't _lose_ it; it's just been missing for ninety years!" She turns to Stefan, "So; what do you think?" She twirls around to give everyone a full view of the 'prostitute clothing' she has on. Evelyn pouts at how beautiful she looks in the dress but Stefan does not seem to agree.

"I... Like it," he lies.

"I can _always_ tell when you're lying, Stefan." She hisses before storming back in to the dressing room. _Thank God_, Evelyn thinks to herself. Stefan gives Klaus a look that says '_what did I do?'_ and Klaus shrugs.

"Nice one, good work!" He says sarcastically; raising his glass to toast his 'good work'.

"You're the one who pulled the damn dagger out of it," Evie mumbles bitchily.

"I heard that you _little bitch_!" Rebekah snaps.

Evie sighs and rolls her eyes – Klaus and Stefan see her expression and burst in to laughter.

"I'm glad _you're_ enjoying yourselves," She snaps irritably.

"Alright, I'm going to get some fresh air." Stefan murmurs whilst he places his glass on the table.

"Take our doppelganger," Klaus gestures to Evie who glares at him for not calling her by her name. "I think Rebekah will end up killing her if they don't have some time apart."

"Not if I kill her first," Evie grumbles.

"Ha! I'd like to see you _try_!" Rebekah shoots back.

"Come on, miss argumentative." Stefan throws his arm around the sulking Evelyn's shoulder and leads her to the door. Just as he has opened it he spots Evie across the street. No, not Evie... Katherine.

"Who the _fuck_-" Stefan presses his finger to Evie's lips and shakes his head desperately before gesturing for her to follow. She nods and does as he wishes; Evelyn _knows_ that Stefan still cares about Elena.

But something tells her that this is not her sister.

The unknown doppelganger gestures for Stefan and Evie to come over to her and both of them do as she wishes; they cross the street and hastily make their way over to the lamp post she is leaning against. When they make it to her she smiles.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Stefan asks casually.

"Who are you?" Evie asks with a frown, "you're not Elena... But you look like us. Are we, like, a trio or something? How many kids did my Mom and Dad have!" She throws her arms up exasperatedly and Stefan shakes his head.

"No, this is Katherine Pierce – she is one of your great grandmothers. She was turned in to a Vampire a _very_ long time ago. She was a doppelganger, too." Stefan explains.

"Well, don't you all look chummy?" Katherine teases, "Klaus your new bestie?"

"You know if he finds out you're in Chicago you're dead?" Stefan reminds her.

"I'm happy to know that you still care," she smiles.

"Ok, Katherine... You were a doppelganger too?" Evie asks.

"I still am a doppelganger; I'm just a Vampire doppelganger." She explains, "And _you_ are Elena's twin... _Interesting_... I had a twin, too." She muses, "I wonder how one managed to survive..."

"Oh my God," Evie whispers as her face pales. Stefan watches her curiously as Katherine circles around Elena's twin with a smirk.

"W-What happened to your twin?" Evelyn asks defensively.

"She was killed in a fire when we were sixteen years old. She was called Christiana." She replies flatly, "Hmm... I am presuming that Elena was supposed to die in the car accident that Mr Salvatore over here got involved in... Tut, tut, honey. You're playing with nature!" She giggles in a sing-song voice.

"Will you explain this in a little more detail?" Evie asks; "my sister was in a car accident – Stefan saved her... But what does the car accident have to do with _your_ twin dying?"

"Oh, dear." Katherine sighs, "You all know nothing! Okay, so when the curse was put on Klaus the Witches added a little unknown player in to the game. They created doppelganger twins – a doppelganger is ones double walker, after all. I don't know _what_ the weaker twin has to do with the whole ritual that broke the curse on _Klaus_ but I do know that, after what has happened, the stronger twin is probably around to enable Klaus to change Werewolves in to Hybrids. From what I have pieced together the Witches wanted to ensure that Klaus would not fully break the curse even if he carried out the ritual so they made sure that one of the doppelgangers died-"

"So that he could not turn in to a Hybrid _and_ be enabled to create them." Stefan finishes off.

"Okay..." Evelyn is trying to act like this doesn't affect her that much but her shaky voice gives her away. "So what is all this about the 'stronger' and 'weaker' twin?"

"I _think_the weaker twin is the one with the 'Klaus Hybrid' curse. They are sentenced to death by the curse so Klaus cannot trigger his Hybrid side so even if he does kill the stronger twin he cannot do anything; if he isn't a Hybrid he can't make Hybrids – so even if he had killed me back in the fourteenth century nothing would have changed."

"I'm so confused," Evie whimpers whilst she leans against the lamp post herself. "So basically if Elena _had_ died at sixteen Klaus would have come after me anyway?"

"Yes," Katherine nods.

"And he would have used _me_ in the ritual but once it was over he would not turn in to a Hybrid?" She asks sceptically.

"Exactly."

"And since he would not have turned in to a Hybrid – because he would not have drank Elena's blood – I would have died for nothing?"

"You have it down to a 'T', Evelyn!" Katherine applauds her.

"But now that he _has_ drank Elena's blood to the point of her death..."

"I don't know." Katherine shrugs in irritation, "I still don't know what has to happen. The ritual has been carried out with the weaker twin just like it needed to be – the good news for you is that no-one knows how _you_are supposed to die."

Evie dizzily processes all the information fed to her from Katherine whilst she turns to Stefan and converses about the necklace been with Elena and tries to get his real intentions out of him. She does not really listen to their conversation – relief is racing through her, really. Elena is still here and, since the ritual has been carried out, no-one knows how she is supposed to be killed – Klaus will not be able to kill her until he knows that... But he doesn't even know _half_ of the information they know.

"Come on, Evie." She is pulled out of her thoughts by a nudge from Stefan. She nods and walks at the side of him.

"And I've heard about that sister!" Katherine calls after them, "be careful – she'll ruin you."

Evie scoffs, "that's no surprise – that bitch could ruin anything and everything with her whining."

"I like you," Katherine giggles.

"Okay, okay." Stefan rolls his eyes before pushing Evie back in the direction of the store. "Oh, and I'm happy to know you still care!"

...

"Back here again?" Evelyn frowns in annoyance.

"Stop complaining," Stefan sighs as he holds the door open for her. She thanks him and looks around – she immediately spots Gloria sat around a table with a bunch of candles; her hands hover over an ancient-looking book and a foreign language leaves her lips.

"You left us!" The complaint from Rebekah is aimed at Stefan.

"Yeah, sorry. Retail therapy was making my head explode!" He explains.

"Tell me about it," Klaus mumbles from where he is sat with his drink.

"What are you doing?" Evie asks.

"She's failing," Klaus replies as he sends a glare over to the distracted Witch.

"It's hard to find something when you don't have anything to go on!" She snaps.

"Use me – I only wore it for a thousand years," Rebekah says whilst she hops off of the counter she was lounging on.

"See! _Now_ this one offers a solution," Gloria grumbles. "Alright, give me your hand, sweetheart."

"She's, uh... Looking for the necklace, huh?" Stefan asks. Evie notices his really bad false pretence of curiosity to cover his worry.

"I'm so out of here," Evie sighs. "I'm hungry, bored and tired!"

"Didn't you feed her?" Klaus asks Stefan in disbelief – the Vampire smiles sheepishly and shakes his head. "Oh, come on then. We have matters to discuss, anyway."

"Do we now?" She raises her eyebrows at him; he grabs her arm and drags her out of the bar to leave Gloria to do her Witchy voodoo in peace.

"Where do you want to go?" He asks whilst they walk the high street.

"Somewhere that will give me food?" She replies.

"Stop been so difficult," he grimaces. "I was trying to be nice."

"Well stop trying," she snaps. "You _need_ to stop."

"I appreciate the warning, sweetheart. Now, where do you want to go?"

Klaus turns and steps in front of her so she has to come to a halt. Her chocolate eyes look up in to his and she sees the sincerity... Her resolve slips away. _Stupid pretty eyes._

"Somewhere expensive... Somewhere that offers good food and a delicious strawberry milkshake!" She explains with a smirk. She expects him to scoff at her and say he will not be wasting any more money on someone he is going to kill but he just nods and smiles.

"A pizzeria?" He points to a place over the road and Evelyn's jaw drops, slightly. She just nods – confused as always. _Mean for one minute and nice the next..._"Then let's go."

They cross the street after a moment of manoeuvring their way around traffic. Once they reach the doors Klaus holds open the door for her – Evelyn rolls her eyes before stepping in to the small Italian styled restaurant. The deco reminds her of something from Romeo and Juliet. The room is made up of black-and-gold marble. There is a bar at the back left of the room and a pair of doors beside that which lead to a _huge_ kitchen. The tables and chairs are all set out so two people or four people can sit at each – there is even a small balcony with a table for two. There is a little label with _Reserved_wrote on it in fancy letters, though. The balcony seems to be for the ones who can pay a _lot_ of money to sit there... From the prices she can see on the menus she notices that you have to have a _lot_ of money to get a drink; never mind sit up there. It is on a floor of its own that overlooks the cute little restaurant – two marble pillars are stood at either side of it with green ivy draped across the marble railing and pillars.

"That's beautiful," she whispers admiringly. "This whole place is... It's beautiful."

"Good afternoon!" A waiter greets the pair of them, "have you got a reservation?"

"No – but you will let us have a table anyway. I want the table up on the balcony."

"Klaus!" Evie hisses whilst she elbows him in the ribs. He looks down at her as if to ask what he has done wrong; she rolls her eyes and accepts that, to him, compelling what he wants is purely instinctual.

He's really not helping their situation whilst he is been like this... Taking Evie to a cute restaurant, compelling an amazing table, charming her worries away with his dimpled smile.

_Is he even trying to fight this?_ Evie asks herself.

...

"That was the best meal I've eaten in years," Evelyn sighs as she places her knife and fork on her empty plate.

"I'd rather have had blood," Klaus shrugs.

"Oh shut up you _loved_ it!" She replies with an eye roll.

"And how would you be able to tell?" Klaus raises his eyebrows in curiosity.

"From the look on your face... You looked so happy," Evie folds her arms over her chest.

"Well maybe that's because I had you sat across from me the whole time."

_And there it is._

Evie's smile fades as she glowers at the Hybrid – but the colour in her cheeks; the sudden change in her heartbeat... Both give away her true thoughts about what he just said. She turns away to look down at the other couples in the restaurant and sighs heavily.

"You need to stop doing that, Klaus... This can't happen."

"And why not?" He frowns.

"Because not only do you want to kill me but you killed my sister!" She hisses back, chocolate eyes narrowing as she looks over at him. She knows she is making up excuses but they are reason enough to stay away from him – whether they do affect her feelings for him or not. _Elena would hate me._

"Do you really think I can't tell you're lying to yourself?" Klaus murmurs as he leans over and places his hand on hers. She looks down at where his finger is tracing patterns on her hand and, after a prolonged moment, she pulls her hand away.

"It's better this way. If we give in you do realize that it could ruin everything, don't you? My friends would all hate me, your sister would hate me even more than she already does _and_ it could affect your decision on whether or not you actually want to kill me."

"I might not have to – we don't know for certain that the curse definitely has something to do with you," he explains.

"Don't be so naive; of course it does. I haven't known about all this supernatural stuff for long but I definitely know that much," Evie looks down at her hands in her lap to hide the tears in her eyes. Klaus watches her sadly.

"I understand," he murmurs after giving her a moment to re-collect herself. "You're right. We can't do this..." When Klaus suddenly shows up at the side of her she gasps but he ignores her panic. The Hybrid lifts his hand to cup her cheek and stroke it with his thumb, "but do not think for a second that I don't care about you... You are the only one I have truly cared for in a _very_ long time."

Evie keeps her eyes locked on Klaus and feels her mind cloud over. _Just a kiss... Just one can't do any harm, right?_ Her tearful eyes give away her thoughts but Klaus knows it is just because he is too close. He needs to get away – so he steps back and gives her another minute. When she realizes what she was about to do the tears slip silently down her cheeks; guilt floods through her.

"What are we doing?" The doppelganger whispers.

"We are playing with fire; but it seems that we cannot stop... Even if we want to," He whispers.

...

"There you are!" Gloria calls as she hears Stefan's footsteps enter the bar.

"I thought you were resting," he replies whilst he spots her tidying a few things away.

"Well, now we both have a secret."

"What did you see?" Stefan asks but his emerald green eyes are ordering her to give him an answer.

"Well, it's what I _heard_ that's _interesting_," she replies slyly – Stefan keeps his eyes off of the Witch by pouring himself a drink. "You know the girls with the necklace – they were talking about _you_."

"And you didn't tell Klaus," Stefan notes openly. "Why?"

"Because I wouldn't help that Hybrid half-breed with _anything_," Gloria scoffs. "The necklace is a talisman from the Original Witch herself. _I want it_."

"Well I'm sorry but I can't help you," Stefan replies – sensing an uneasiness in the room.

"Don't be difficult!" The Witch warns angrily. "You know I'd _hate_ to have to tell Klaus what a liar his sidekick is."

Stefan grinds his teeth whilst he considers the pros and cons of killing her. Klaus wouldn't discover Elena is alive but what would he think to Gloria's sudden disappearance? He decides to kill her, anyway. He lunges for her at Vampire speed but she uses her powers to trigger those pesky explosions of the blood vessels in the brain that would kill a human instantly. Gloria turns around to find Stefan holding his head and looking up at her with agonized eyes.

"Looks like I've got to get it out of you the hard way."

Stefan passes out from the pain.

...

"There you are!" Rebekah sighs as Klaus and Evie find her with two shopping bags on each arm. The Hybrid looks around with curious eyes before turning to his sister.

"Where's Stefan?"

"He said he was going to check if Gloria had found anything. I _would_ have accompanied him but I still needed some new clothes – and I found some!" She beams.

"Ok, good. Put them in the car or something," Klaus murmurs. "We should probably go and eat."

"We just ate," Evie chimes in.

"No, I mean _we_," Klaus gestures to Rebekah and then himself, "should eat."

"Oh." Evie's face goes blank – and then pale when she realizes the 'food' he is talking about.

"Shall I choose the prey?" Rebekah asks with an evil smirk Evie's way. She rolls her chocolate brown eyes before looking up at Klaus. When she sees the slightly evil smirk on his face she knows _exactly_ what he is thinking about... She imagines his teeth sinking in to her throat instead of some poor, unwilling girls and her cheeks flush. _That_ is a very disgusting desire of hers that will certainly need to be repressed. Was she really just fantasizing about Klaus _biting_ her? _Drinking her blood?_

"No, I'd like to choose." The Hybrid murmurs; his eyes do not leave Evelyn's even when he speaks to Rebekah. They remain locked until he has turned to find some food. Evie watches him walk away and sighs sadly. She really wishes that they weren't in such a mess.

"Your insanity amuses me," Rebekah laughs. Evelyn turns to the Original with a frown.

"Insanity?" She presses.

"Well, you obviously feel something for my brother," she smirks.

"And why is that so funny?" Evie glares at the Blonde whilst she folds her arms.

"Because you are falling for lies, you idiot! My brother does not love anybody – what would change that now? Do you really believe that he is keeping you around for love?"

"No. I _know_ why he is keeping me around but he feels something for me; so stop been such a jealous sister and get the _fuck_ over it!"

She said that at a pretty bad time. They had just reached the car that is parked in a rather empty area; Rebekah gets so angry that she grabs Evelyn by the throat and forces her back against the nearest vehicle. Choked gasps and cries escape the doppelganger's throat as Rebekah's face comes closer to hers. The demonic change of her face that reveals her Vampire side does not fascinate Evie at all like it does when Klaus' changes... Rebekah's face terrifies her.

"Listen carefully you little cow: I may not be able to kill you but I can put you through a _Hell_ of a lot of pain so I suggest that you stop testing me because I am _not_ afraid to make you cry... My brother seems to want to play with you but I certainly don't. I don't play silly little games – I just cause pain."

Once Evelyn begins to turn a worrying shade of white/blue Rebekah releases her grip on the brunette's throat. She falls on her knees and gasps in air desperately for a moment before dragging herself back to her feet. Every breath burns her oxygen-deprived lungs.

"What did you do that for?" Evie shrieks to the bratty blonde woman leaning against the wall with a very callous expression.

"Because _you_ are overstepping your boundaries not only with me but with my brother. You are a human - Klaus will not love you... It is completely insane to even dream that he would. You are a pathetic little copy of the woman he once loved; the only feelings that are brought up from the sight of you will be the feelings that he had for _her_."

...

"What is this? Why can't I move?" Stefan growls as he looks around at the dimly lit room. The only light is coming from candles and Gloria is currently toying around with a blade that he certainly does not like the look of.

"Relax, it's just a little paralysis spell; nothing major," She explains before slicing down the centre of his arm from halfway up to his wrist. He cries out from the pain it sends through his body but Gloria could not care less about the pain. "I've just got to get the information out of your pretty little head..." She slices down the other arm before continuing to speak, "You know Witches nowadays are in to that 'new age' stuff but I'm a little more 'old school' voodoo... These will stop that pesky healing!"

The nails that Gloria sticks in to Stefan's flesh only add to the pain. They could actually contend against the slicing that she actually did to get them in there... But no one can hear Stefan's cries of agony in here. No-one but Gloria. He feels _very_ alone.

"I won't tell you _anything_," he pants angrily.

"You don't have to!" She replies mockingly – watching as the blood trickles from his wrists in to the small glass bowls underneath them. "Feel that? That's your essence... Your _spirit_. It lets me make a connection."

Stefan does feel it... And it isn't very comfortable _at all_. The feeling is indescribable... It is not painful yet it does hurt... It is more of an emotion than an actual feeling. It is almost as if the pain of a gaping wound has been turned in to an emotion.

"Herbs help too," Gloria murmurs as she looks through her collection of herbs. "Sage, Witch Hazel... But my personal favourite – _Vervain_."

Stefan whimpers and then cries out from the worst agony out of all of this as the Vervain connects and burns his skin like acid.

"Just let go of that willpower, honey." Gloria grins as she presses in to his chest and Stefan growls in pain. After a moment it doesn't work – she soon rubs her hands with the herbs and tries again. After a few times Stefan finds his resolve break away.

"Here we go..." Gloria closes her eyes and sees what she has been wanting to see. "There's the girl with the necklace. Evie? You _love_ her... Wait, she's not Evie. That's good because Klaus certainly wouldn't have been pleased... Hmm, you'd do anything for her – and you have. A lot of _darkness..._ A lot of_guilt_ – all to keep her away from Klaus. But why would he be interested in her when he has Evelyn..."

"Don't do this," Stefan begs. Gloria gasps as she sees the ritual.

"She's the doppelganger! They are the doppelgangers... _This_ girl is supposed to be dead and _that's_ one of the reasons why Klaus can't make Hybrids, isn't it?" Gloria smiles proudly before laughing evilly.

"This is creepy," Katherine grimaces. As Gloria turns around to see who it is she is met by a dagger in to her throat. She gasps – a look of confusion clouds her eyes before death makes them go blank. Stefan has never felt more relieved to see his ex-girlfriend.

"Maybe you do need my help after all."

...

"Did Stefan ever tell you where he got the necklace?" Caroline asks in concern as she walks through the Lockwood's family home with her friend.

"No, and I never asked. Hopefully Bonnie will be able to figure it out," She replies.

"Please tell me it's time to go," Alaric enters the conversation as he places an empty glass on a waiter's tray.

"Beyond... Where's Damon?" The doppelganger frowns as she notices she has not had the charmingly beautiful Mr Salvatore attempt to flirt with her for a while now.

"Probably off somewhere doing bad things to good people," Caroline's eyes are accusing as they meet Elena's. "Consider me the honesty police," she defends herself and Elena cannot help the small smile that ruins her glare. Caroline hears a familiar voice and turns to the left – her smile disappears as she spots her Dad. She steps forward so the wall is hiding her from his view.

"What is it?" Elena frowns.

"What's the matter?" Ric asks with sincere concern.

"It's my Dad," she whispers. Both Alaric and Elena look through the open doorway and see that Caroline's Dad is there – laughing and joking with some of the other people on the council.

"Why would he even show up here!" Elena hisses angrily.

"I don't know but I can't..."

"I know," Elena nods – understanding that Caroline really does not want to speak to her Dad right now. "I'll call you later."

"Okay," the Blonde nods sadly before disappearing up the stairs.

"Okay, what was that all about?" Ric asks.

"He's been doing bad things to good people," Elena explains whilst she glares daggers at the back of Bill's head.

...

"I've been thinking about your diabolical plan," Katherine says as Stefan wraps the dead Witch up in a blanket.

"Oh, do tell." Stefan feigns interest whilst he looks up at her.

"Well you must know that Klaus is too paranoid to fully trust you... But the sister; she loves you like it was yesterday. She is your mark – but you can't just _pretend_ to care because Klaus will know better... So you do the opposite. You bond with him and make her feel left out; that will only make her want you more!" The Petrova explains.

"Oh, you mean I'm taking a page out of the Katherine Pierce playbook!" He replies in a sarcastic tone.

"The only question is _why_ Stefan? I mean I get it you want to keep Klaus away from Mystic Falls but... What else do you expect to get from it?" She questions with a confused frown. Katherine does _not_ like to be kept in the dark.

"Do you know what's funny? You keep talking to me like I actually trust you enough to tell you anything!"

"Oh, come _on_ Stefan we're _beyond_ that! I saved you from Hilda the high Voodoo Priestess!" She pouts. Stefan keeps his eyes on hers for a moment as he tries to decide whether or not she can really be trusted with his plans. She has no reason to rat him out to the Hybrid so why can't she be trusted? It's not like she will expect him to forgive her even if she does tell him about Elena been alive and Stefan's real motives.

"Ok... I knew them back in the twenties... They were running from someone. Someone who scared them." He reads every expression that crosses her face as he explains all of this to her.

"A Hunter..." Katherine is shocked by this, "I heard stories about him _centuries_ ago."

"Don't you want to know why an Original Vampire who cannot be killed is afraid of a Vampire Hunter?" Stefan muses – he really wants this information. He was hoping that maybe Katherine would know but from her shocked expression it seems like she doesn't.

"If you're planning on making a move against Klaus... _I want in_!" She says desperately.

"That's good!" He pats her shoulder with a smile, "it's good to want things, Katherine."

"_Stefan_!" She spits.

"Katherine: I'm in this alone – if you're looking for a diabolical partner in crime... I suggest you look elsewhere."

...

Elena curses around twenty-four times before she finally pulls her cell phone from her pocket. She keeps her eyes locked on Alaric's dead body and continues to curse Damon mentally as she impatiently waits for Caroline to pick up.

_We can't let him do this!_

"_I'm only answering if it's in the case of an emergency!"_ Caroline answers chirpily.

"It's an emergency!" Elena stumbles through her words, "Damon's mad at us for 'underestimating' him and he is pissed because your Dad managed to prevent his compulsion earlier. He told him to leave and he didn't and now Damon's going to try and kill him!"

...

"Wow, is that Scotch?" Damon questions as Bill pours himself a glass of the liquid. "I figured you for an _abstainer_."

"Everything in moderation," Bill replies cautiously. "It keeps the mind clear from influence."

"Like Vampire compulsion," Damon offers an example as he folds his arms and leans against the doorframe.

"Yeah, I tried to tell you-"

"Yeah, yeah. A powerful tool – got it. I am impressed... I can't say I've ever seen that before," he frowns.

"Well it takes a certain _human_ focus – it's a skill that I've had for decades," Bill explains proudly _plus_ your technique is a little lazy." He smirks – clearly seeing that he is getting under the Vampire's skin.

"That's been noted," Damon responds with a shrug. "I'm curious – why not just expose us to the council?"

"I know you think I'm the bad guy, Damon, but I would never expose my own daughter to those morons." Bill replies very seriously.

"It's a pretty risky move – taking me out, don't you think?"

Damon's steely blue eyes meet Bill's and a sudden tension fills the air. He can see the evil glint shining brightly within Damon's eyes but he knows he won't harm him. Bill shrugs the feeling off.

"I knew what I was risking when I didn't leave town but I figured... You're not self destructive enough to kill the Sherriff's ex-husband."

"That makes you the _third_ person to under-estimate me today." Damon smirks as he thinks back to Ric and Elena – it makes him so angry that he lashes out on Bill quickly. His fangs elongate and he sinks them straight in to Bill's throat who gasps and yells as Damon feeds on his blood. After a few seconds the Vampire releases his prey.

"Whoa, you know with all of this behavioural modification going on around here I almost forgot how good blood tastes when it's..." He inhales sharply before licking his lips, "_fresh_."

"What're you going to do? Kill everyone who discovers your secret?" Bill gasps from where he is kneeled on the ground.

"Nah, I'm not going to kill you, Bill!" Damon rests his hand on the man's shoulder whilst he licks his lips again, "I'm just going to find pleasure in perfect little moments like this."

Once again his fangs elongate and Bill really does feel fear as he watches the change Damon's face goes through. The two teeth cut back in to his throat so quickly that he did not even expect it; he cries out in agony once more. Damon is so content – the warm, sweet and metallic tasting liquid helps him ignore the anger and bitterness that his best friend and his unrequited love made him feel. He is upset – he does bad things when he is upset.

Then he is been shoved to the other side of the room and his happy state is destroyed. Before Damon can even see who is attacking him he is thrown out of the window. Once he stands up he sees that it is Caroline and that she is feeding her Father blood – the anger returns.

"Let me teach this guy a little life lesson," Damon growls whilst he watches the exchange.

"Just get out of here," Caroline sighs tiredly – not caring too much about what he has done for the time being. But Damon is angry and having Caroline blow him off like that just builds his anger up even more.

"Or _what_?" He challenges. Suddenly he has been backhanded across the face with such a powerful force that he stumbles back from the force. He picks her up by her throat and throws her on to the coffee table before squeezing her throat tightly – his eyes are full of power and anger. If Caroline wasn't a Vampire she would be terrified. Elena runs in at that moment and gasps as she sees Damon and Caroline.

"I'm stronger than you, little girl!" Damon spits.

"Well I'm _angrier_!" She snaps before she breaks his arm and head butts him a couple of times. Once he has released her and cried out in pain Caroline kicks him off of her – Damon's body flies in to the far wall and Caroline quickly rushes out with her Dad before Damon can do any more damage.

"Bummer," Damon pants from where he is sat against the door. "I love a good girl fight."

Elena is _furious_. He killed Ric, he tried to kill Caroline's Dad and now he's trying to _joke_! She turns around and glares at him in pure anger. If she was a Vampire she would _kill_ him right now!

"You can't _do_ this anymore, Damon! Not in this town and _not_ around _me_!" She snaps.

"Why not? It's nothing I haven't done before," he reminds her with challenging eyes – that quickly becomes confusion and anger. "_Why_ is it suddenly _so_important for everyone to keep me in check?"

"Because I don't want you to be what other people _think_that you are!" Elena chokes angrily – the lump in her throat is making it hard to speak.

"What? A _monster_? I'm sorry to disappoint you, Elena, but the last time I checked I was _still a VAMPIRE_!" He yells as he gets closer to her – anger twists his features in to a horrible scowl. The blood falling from his lips makes it even worse.

"I guess I wish that you didn't _have_to ACT LIKE ONE!" She shrieks.

"I am _not Stefan_! How about you _STOP_ _TRYING TO TURN ME IN TO HIM_!"

They keep their eyes on each other for a moment and Elena feels some guilt take over some of her anger. Damon's right – that is what she was trying to do. Caroline warned her that she couldn't change Damon and she was right; she shouldn't have even tried to begin with but she is way too angry to try and apologize for it now. She lets him storm off without saying a single word. They both need to cool off, anyway.

...

Evelyn is sat on a crate by the coffins that hold the dead members of the Original family. She can see that Stefan is pacing around in the corner of her vision but she doesn't bother to try and start a conversation... Been surrounded by the dead/undead has put her in a _very_ morbid mood. She is beginning to think about _everything_ that has happened and everything she has discovered since turning up to Mystic Falls just _four days ago_. So much has happened that she has not really had time to sit and think about it all; up until now she has just let it settle in to the back of her mind. So much of the information has had to be shrugged off because she has been so focused on keeping herself alive.

She starts with Jenna's death. Jenna had been a role model to her as a child – she had been so sad when John told her that she would not be seeing Jenna anymore. Her death was a big shock... A lump forms in Evie's throat as she pictures her aunt in her mind. She never even got the chance to see Jenna as her aunt and that thought makes her feel worse.

Then there is her Dad, of course. She isn't sure just how John (or Jenna) died but both of their deaths have deeply affected her. She feels so guilty for not mourning them sooner but she hasn't had time; she knows they will understand. She knows that her Dad died to protect Elena and herself so he would obviously have her protect herself rather than cry for days over his death... But she has mourned her Father for months, anyway. She knew he was dead all along.

God, she misses him more than anyone in the world. He was always there for her and he could always cheer up. He would have done anything for her – he already has... The worst part is that he gave his life up to save his daughters yet that wasn't enough. Evelyn has spent _months_ crying but the tears never really seem to want to stop. But she refuses to cry now so she starts to think about the other things.

Finding out that Vampires and Werewolves exist is... Surreal. Discovering that the beings that you have considered to be nonsense out of old films are actually living amongst you tends to be surreal. In fact, surreal doesn't even cover it. Blood drinkers... Wolves... It all sound so very mad. Mad as in 'insane'. And a Hybrid...? If Evie hadn't already accepted that she was going to die she would be terrified of all these beings but why fear death? Shouldn't that be a kindness after everything she has been put through? The people who she cares about are either dead or supposed to be – she is never going to see Elena again. She is her only family member left.

Once Rebekah has re-entered the room from wherever she has been Evelyn decides to leave. The blonde glares daggers at her on the way out but the brunette ignores her steely eyes. She can still hear the murmuring of their voices but she doesn't care about what they are saying enough to try and listen in – she just wants to go to sleep. She is _so_ tired.

"Hello there," Klaus murmurs in greeting as he walks towards her with his hands in his pockets. He seems to be angry and there is a sort of determination in his walk but the brunette doesn't take much notice. She is too upset.

"Hey," Evie sniffles – the Hybrid realizes that she is upset and frowns.

"What has happened?" He asks, momentarily forgetting about his troubles.

"Nothing... Well, a lot but you wouldn't care," she swallows but the lump in her throat goes nowhere. Klaus steps forward and lifts her chin with his hand to look in to her tearful, sad brown eyes. He can already tell what she is thinking about – everything. _Everything that he has caused._ Only Klaus does not know just how much damage he has done to Evie's life. He doesn't know that she was close to Jenna nor does he know that Johnathan Gilbert died to save Elena's life. Her _Father_ died because of him. He thinks that it is because he killed Elena.

"I would apologize-" he begins but Evie places a finger to his lips and shakes her head.

"I don't want a stupid apology, Klaus. You don't mean it," she replies and Klaus' eyes fall to the ground... He doesn't say anything else about it because he knows that she is right. If he had to kill everyone Evie loved for his own benefit he would... He may be falling for her but he is _still_ Klaus: human emotions or not it's still _his_ life that needs protecting more than anyone else's.

"What can I do?" He murmurs after watching her cry for a moment. She shakes her head silently before she wraps her arms around his shoulders and gets on her tip-toes for a hug. The Hybrid feels that this is the least that he can do for now – comfort her. He strokes her soft curls whilst her tears stain his shirt. He doesn't care; he just wants her to stop crying. He doesn't like seeing her sad... Which is _odd_ considering that he is a sadistic serial killer.

All of these emotions are so strange – not only to him but to her, too. They know the risks, the consequences... But even though they are trying to fight it they keep falling back together again. He compelled her, he treated her badly, and he has _killed_ _her sister_: but she refuses to stay away. _She_ hugged_him_. She was the one who started all of this... Her and her stupid humanity and how nice it felt to defend her against those psychopathic Hybrids he had attempted to create... Her warm body coiled around his. The glow it brought out in him that he hadn't noticed at first.

"I feel like we have tried everything, darling." He whispers as he wraps his arms around her and holds her body against his. "I can't..."

"I know," she mumbles in to his shoulder as she inhales his sweet and musky scent before pulling back so she can look him in the eyes. "But we have too."

"Ok," he whispers with a small, sweet smile. He keeps his eyes locked on hers as he compels her: "I want you to remember the conversation that I compelled you to forget."

Evie's eyes go glassy as a memory she didn't even know she had comes to the front of her mind. It plays out for her as if someone has placed a TV screen in her mind:

_"Leave me alone," Evie mumbles._

_"No." Klaus crouches down in front of her and takes her soft hands in to his. "I have to apologize for what I just did... Evelyn, I appreciate that you care about me. I don't quite understandhowyou could care about me. I killed your sister; I took you away from everything you knew. I am a very selfish man, as you may know already. To have somebody see straight past the monster and stare in to my deeply buried humanity is such a wonderful feeling. I need to thank you for been able to do that. I am sorry; sorry that I am such a monster. But I am like this for a reason, sweetheart. I never wanted it to be this way but ithasto be... So do not fall for me... I don't think I could handle it this time." He chokes the last part. Evelyn is hypnotized and completely and utterly paralysed in shock from his words._

"What the...?"

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I thought that maybe if I made you forget then this would stop... But it only proved that I can only take your memory away. I cannot remove your feelings for me; It was stupid to even consider that I could," he whispers angrily. Evie watches the expression twist his face in to a scowl and feels her own anger diminish – she hates it when Klaus gets mad. Some people may think he deserves it but she doesn't.

"Don't beat yourself up over it – you were trying to do a good thing. _This_..." She points to both of them, "Is not good for _anyone_. What you did was an attempt to help."

"It was still wrong, Evie. Can you not be angry with me! _That_ might help more than compulsion will!" He fumes.

"Don't be so stupid, Klaus! I'm not going to get mad at you for no reason at all!" She growls, her sad eyes become angry. The tears freeze and disappear as she glares at him.

"Well it's worked, now if you will _excuse me_-"

Evie cannot stand for that. He is trying too hard and she cannot just tell herself to be mad at him; the doppelganger does not want to let him do that, either. It is probably the worst thing she could have possibly done in this situation but she was not thinking – she just reacted because she was annoyed at him. She wraps her arms around him once more and presses her soft, warm lips to his.

Klaus can honestly say that he has not been this shocked since he was human... He can also honestly say that his willpower has never crumbled so quickly – not only when he was human but throughout his entire _lifetime._ As soon as the doppelgangers lips touched his he found himself melting and forgetting all the bad emotions he had felt just a moment before. The kiss is not desperate or needy – just a short and sweet brush of the lips. A few more chaste kisses are exchanged before they decide to pull away – chocolate brown and green/blue eyes both stare in to the others in amazement.

"Wait here," he sighs before storming in to the storage room the coffins are in. He has just heard Stefan and Rebekah... And, after recollecting his jumbled thoughts, remembered why he had come here to speak to them in the first place. Evelyn listens in from the doorway – her heart is still beating quickly and her stomach is still fluttering... The feeling of Klaus' lips still lingers on her own. How she manages to focus on their conversation she doesn't know.

"Gloria's gone; she's cleared out we _need_ to find a new Witch immediately," Klaus orders... He looks over his sister and Stefan and senses the tension in the air. "What's going on?"

"Something's wrong," Rebekah's reply has Evelyn travelling in to the room so she can see the three of them. "He was asking about Michael."

Stefan feels panic begin to rise in his chest but he keeps a straight face as he turns to look at nothing in particular – he can feel Klaus' eyes burning in to him.

"He's not with us, Nik. I can _sense_ it," Rebekah explains as she, too, watches Stefan. Evelyn is beginning to panic herself – _this won't end well._

"She's wrong," Stefan replies whilst he turns to look at the Hybrid. "Klaus..."

"Go to sleep," Klaus orders and Stefan immediately falls to the ground. Evelyn gasps as Stefan's coma-enduced body falls to the floor and then chews on her lower lip as her eyes meet Klaus gaze... The same look that he gave Stefan is in his eyes.

"What are you _not_ telling me, sweetheart?" He asks.

"Huh?" Evie has always been a good actress – she is about to find out whether or not those skills can trick a Hybrid and a psychic.

"She's lying to you, too." Rebekah murmurs.

"No I'm not! Klaus, you _know_ that she hates me!"

Evie doesn't remember anything after that.

...

Evelyn and Stefan both wake up to the sound of footsteps. Stefan is the first to open his eyes and take in their surroundings – a dark, enclosed crate which is holding the Originals coffins and... Klaus. The Hybrid is lounging on one of the coffins; watching his sidekick and his doppelganger curiously. Stefan seems to keep a _very_ long and tension-filled eye contact with the Hybrid; Evie feels like she _needs_ to break this terrifying silence.

"Don't kill him," She begs.

"Just give me a chance to explain myself," Stefan adds as he holds a hand up – as if that would stop him from killing him.

"No need," Klaus smiles. "I'm not mad I'm just curious; Rebekah seems to think that you're holding on to something – a piece of your old life. The thing is she's got flawless instincts; she's borderline supernatural so I thought I would check it out!" Klaus' smile makes Evie's heart ache... She thinks back to their kiss but mentally kicks herself – _now is NOT the time!_ "I want to see for myself what it is that both of you have been hiding."

"Where are we?" Evelyn asks carefully – Klaus' eyes turn to her and she wishes they hadn't. For someone who supposedly 'cares about her' he seems pretty uncaring right now. Both Evie and Stefan watch as he walks over to a button on the side of the crate. Stefan helps Evelyn to his feet and then both of them turn their heads and squint their eyes as sunlight fills the crate...

No, not a crate... A _van_. A van that is parked somewhere that Evelyn finds _very_ familiar. Fear runs up her spine and locks her in place as she realizes where they are.

"Welcome back to Mystic Falls," Klaus grins.


	6. The Reckoning

Pain shoots through Stefan's neck – the sharpness of it awakens him from... Death? He groans as he holds the back of his neck and opens his eyes. He is still in darkness... That _crate_? No – that _truck_. He is in Mystic Falls.

He has to warn Damon... Elena...

He spots Rebekah leaning against the side of the truck and jumps slightly. She turns her uncaring eyes to him and then looks further to the left to see that the doppelganger is still sleeping soundlessly. Stefan glances down at Evie and then back up at the blonde Original.

"Well, one of you lives," she smirks and turns her body so she is facing him.

"What happened?" Stefan asks – spotting the Mystic Falls High School badge on the familiar brick wall. He kicks himself mentally – _shit_.

"You took a beating. My brother has been breaking your neck all afternoon... _Quite_ the temper," she feigns a frown.

"Why did he bring us back to Mystic Falls?" Stefan questions – using the metallic wall to help stand up.

"You can stop playing dumb, now. It didn't take him long to figure out what you've been hiding," Rebekah watches his expression – all she sees is the panicked change in his eyes.

"I'm not hiding anything," Stefan shrugs stiffly; "I've done everything Klaus has asked me to."

"No, you just failed to mention that the doppelganger is still alive," Rebekah 'reminds' him with her arms folded over her chest. Stefan looks down at Evie.

"We already knew she was," he gestures to the sleeping body but Rebekah shakes her head.

"The_other_ one. Elena?" Rebekah smirks and watches as Stefan drops his innocent pretence – his eyes go cold as he stares in to her icy eyes. He turns around to hide his panic.

"Where is Klaus, now?" He asks. Stefan's voice is shaking, slightly. _Anyone_ could see that he is panicking.

"With any luck ripping that cow's _bloody_ head off," she snaps back. The Salvatore drinks these words in and feels a snarl building in his throat. He is giving in to the two-month build up of anger, resentment and unhappiness. He growls and throws himself at Rebekah – grabbing her by the throat and sending their bodies on to the cold concrete ground in the parking lot.

"WHERE IS SHE!" He orders desperately.

"You really _do_ love her, don't you?" She asks painfully before turning the tables so that Stefan is pinned against the truck. She grabs a crow bar and hits him around the face with it – he cries out in pain as she grabs him and forces him to face her again, "consider me jealous!" The envious blonde snarls before plunging the crow bar in to his stomach.

...

"You have put a rather large kink in my plan, sweetheart. The whole _point_ of breaking the curse and _becoming a Hybrid_ was to _make more Hybrids_– I haven't been able to do that! Now _my_ bet is that it has something to do with the fact that you're still _breathing_!"

"If you're going to kill me just _do_ it!" Elena hisses angrily – she doesn't want to listen to this horrible thing talk about its problems.

"Not until I know I'm right; but I do have ways of making you suffer!"

_They look exactly alike;_ runs through his mind as he gets to the door. For a split second he feels protective – he pulls her in as if to comfort her but then her remembers _who_this one is and instantly makes it look as if he wrapped his arm around her waist to drag her with him. Confusion still burns in those doe-like eyes though. _What was that for?_Elena wonders. They enter the auditorium where a large amount of Senior students are filling paper cups with water and leaving them on the ground – cleaning all of this up will take a while. Klaus finds all of these stupid humans nothing but irritating.

"ATTENTION SENIORS!" He calls in a mocking American accent. He sounds like he is talking to them through the speakers, "You have _officially_ been_busted!_ Prank night is _over_ – head on home!"

The Seniors all erupt in to mumbles and irritated sighs before standing and leaving everything where it is – at least they managed to do half of the school, right? Klaus spots two people getting up and instantly realizes that he knows them... From the 60's dance!

"You two!" He calls to the teen boy and girl who both turn to look at him, "I remember you."

"Sorry, who are you?" The girl asks as she glances uncertainly at the boy. He doesn't seem to know him, either.

"Oh don't worry – I wasn't in my right head the last time we met. Lift your foot up and stay that way," He adds on casually; compelling the girl to do as he wants. "If she drops her foot, Chad, I want you to beat her to death: understood?" Chad nods his head but he has a terrified look in them. The fear makes it obvious that Chad would do as this stranger said even if he wasn't been compelled to.

"Don't, Klaus! You don't have to hurt anybody!" Elena hisses.

"Oh come _on_, love. Of _course_ I do!" He replies in an obvious tone of voice. The doppelganger feels completely helpless... _How do I get out of this mess? Is Evie still alive...?_

...

"Ow," Evie mumbles uncoordinatedly as she rolls over on the cool, hard floor. She frowns for a moment and wonders why her bed is so uncomfortable... And then she remembers everything. She jumps in to a sitting position and takes in her surroundings. The floor is damp and wooden – she knows she is in the truck she had originally woken up in. It's dark outside. _No wonder it's so cold._The brunette spots the numerous coffins around her and instantly decides to get out and find Stefan or Klaus... Preferably Stefan.

If he's still alive.

Once she has jumped out of the truck she realizes she is in a parking lot. She spots the logo on the brick wall that reads _Mystic Falls High School_ and frowns – Today is Sunday... Well, she _thinks_ its Sunday. When you're kidnapped by a Vamp-Wolf and have all of your emotions played around with you forget to really keep track with a lot of things. Times, days and dates all seemed to merge in to one big question mark after God knows how long.

She spots the front entrance and, although it appears empty from the outside, she knows that Klaus must be in there. Maybe if she gets to him on time she can explain – the doppelganger is already presuming that he has discovered her supposed-to-be-dead twin sister, by now. It's just a matter of_where is he hiding her?_ And _Will I be able to save her?_

The hallways are dimly lit but empty. The place feels ominous which tells Evelyn that there are _definitely_ supernatural beings in the area. They alight your sixth sense as if you are setting fire to a flame. Goose bumps rise on her arm and she gets the strangest feeling... Almost like she is been watched. She turns a few times but no one shows up – and then she turns again to the sound of footsteps.

"Elena?" A brown haired, brown skinned girl frowns, "wait... Katherine."

"No, I'm not Katherine-"

"Evelyn?" Matt asks as he takes in her slightly bruised arms. "I haven't seen you since the other day. Where've you been?"

"Who are you?" the girl asks.

"I'm Evie Gilbert, Elena's twin sister. And you are...?"

"B-Bonnie," Bonnie replies – her face seems to pale slightly as she realizes just what a doppelganger twin could mean.

"Look, I am not usually rude – I promise – but I think my sister and Stefan are in danger. We _have_ to find them!" She begs, "Please help me find them?"

"That's what we're trying to do. Tonight is the Senior Prank Night but everyone seems to have gone..." Matt looks through a door of a classroom and sighs in irritation, "have you seen anybody else?"

"No," Evie shakes her head. "Wait... I can hear something..."

Evie turns to the right and notices that, as she walks further that way, the voices get louder. "Over here!" She yells before beginning to run – once she reaches the door she throws it open and runs in.

"Evie... Bonnie, get _out_ of here!" Elena yells. Evelyn's eyes instantly meet the green/blue eyes of Klaus' and she feels her breath catch in her lungs.

He's hurt.

He quickly turns it off, thought. One second he is stood beside Elena the next he is stood _behind_ Bonnie. He is smiling once she turns around in a disorientated, worried mess.

"Ah, I was wondering when you would show up! Now we can get started... Uh, Dana, you can relax – you and Chad sit tight..." He turns his angry gaze to Bonnie, "I assume you're the reason why Elena is walking around _alive_."

"That's right... If you want to blame someone _blame me_," Bonnie begs.

"Well, there's no need for blame, love. It's just your Witch-y interference seems to have caused some _undesirable_ side-effects and since you've caused the problem I'll have you find the fix." The unnerving thing about Klaus at this moment in time is how cool and calculated he is... Yet he is also smiling as if this is nothing but a mundane favour you would ask from a friend.

"Klaus don't do this." Evelyn speaks up for the first time. The Hybrid turns to take in Evie – her hair is slightly messy from been laid on a wooden floor for the day, her body is stiff from the stress and fear she feels for the people around her: especially Elena. His eyes are icy and angry when they meet hers.

"Evie I have to tell you something. I need to tell you about how our Dad died," Elena speaks sadly – a lump forming in her throat. She can sense something strange between the two of them... She can see it from the way Evie is watching Klaus. She is giving him the look that Elena _knows_ she gives Damon. The look is dangerous because it means something; although she will not admit it her subconscious tells her it is true. "John bound his life force to me so that when I died in the ritual I would come back to life... But it meant that he would die. Jenna died in the ritual, too."

Evie stares at her sister whilst she tells her this and lets her mind process the facts. Klaus did not know about this, of course, so he needs to let the information sink in too.

"He compelled our Mom to kill herself, as well..." Elena seems pleading as she tells her sister this. She watches with a sort of silent joy as the torn look becomes hatred... _Mom, Dad, Jenna..._

"_You BASTARD!_" Evie shrieks; balling her hands in to fists as she turns to glare daggers at Klaus. He frowns at Elena before looking back at Evie and rolling his eyes.

"Come on, sweetheart. You know I'm no Angel," he smirks.

"You... _You... IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!_I sat at home for _months_ waiting for a call... He said if he wasn't back to presume he was dead. He did this for us because he cared about us. He died for me and for my _sister_... And you _don't care_! _You're the reason I don't have a family!"_

"What's done is done – I didn't even know this John person," Klaus dismisses.

Everyone in the room falls sick as they watch Evie's palm connect with Klaus' cheek. The Hybrid's eyes go yellow as he grabs the wrist and pulls her closer – their noses brush as he snarls in pure anger. The sound is inhumane.

"You _deserved_ that and you KNOW IT!" Evie sobs as the tears begin to fall down her bright red cheeks. She feels so much hate that it has turned to tears – all the grief over everything as hit her and she feels hysterical right now. The only one capable of calming her would be the man who caused all this... But he is too angry to even try.

"Try that _one more time_ and you can wave your life goodbye," he whispers coldly.

"How _dare_ you come back here?" Evelyn spits after a moment of thought, "You have no _right_ been here after _everything you've done_!"

"I have EVERY RIGHT to be here! You cannot complain, you little bitch! YOU _lied_ to me... I _TRUSTED YOU!_" Klaus roars, his eyes glaze over and transform from human to demonic once more. Evelyn finds his attempt to scare her to be insulting – she draws her hand back and slaps him across the face for a second time.

"_YOU_ TRUSTED _ME?_YOU FORGOT TO MENTION THAT _YOU KILLED MY DAD_!"

The doors open after that and everyone has slipped in to a nightmare-ish state from the scene that just unfolded in front of them. Bonnie and Matt are completely startled from it, Dana and Chad are horrified and disgusted by the way Klaus' face was changing... and Elena has realized. She remains silent as she watches Klaus' attention turn from her to Tyler and Rebekah. Evie goes to stumble over to Elena but the Hybrid grabs her and pulls her in to a rough embrace that _certainly_ confuses the others.

It just proves Elena's thoughts to be true... Especially when she sees her sister grab on to his shirt and cry. It's not quiet, either. She is in _agony_ over Elena's revelation. The doppelganger notices another hateful glare is sent her way from Klaus before he turns to his sister and Tyler.

"Get off of me!" Tyler orders gruffly as Rebekah drags him with her – his hands are held behind his back by hers.

"I'd like you all to meet my sister; Rebekah," Klaus raises one hand whilst he keeps the other wrapped around Evie's shoulders. Everyone's attention leaves Evelyn as they all take in the fact that _another_ Original is around. She is beautiful... Deadly. Her gaze is just as terrifying as her brothers – she has icy blue eyes and a mocking smile. "Fair warning: she can be _quite_ mean."

"Don't be an arse," Rebekah rolls her eyes before pushing the Werewolf to Klaus. He releases Evie who instantly runs over to Elena – when she reaches her sister they cling on to each other as if the other is their only way of survival. Elena continues to watch whilst she comforts her sister.

"Leave him alone!" Elena shouts to Klaus.

"I'm going to make this _very_ simple!" Klaus explains whilst he pulls Tyler further away from the crowd, "Every time I attempt to turn a Werewolf in to a Vampire Hybrid they die during the transition. It's quite horrible, actually." He frowns and Evie raises her lips so they are by Elena's ears.

"They looked like zombies, Elena." Her voice quivers from the sobs wracking through her as well as the terrifying memory... And the memory of how Klaus saved her; she turns to the Hybrid just because she wants to look at him again. She misses the comfort he was offering despite been the one who caused her to _need_ comforting. Confusion clouds her mind... _He killed my sister, he killed my aunt and he KILLED MY DAD... Why do I still feel like this! _Evelyn shrieks to herself – self hatred completely takes over her emotions, now.

Her self-hatred is pushed to the side; however, as she sees Klaus bite in to his wrist. The blood begins trickling down his arm but he shoves it to Tyler's mouth before it can go too far. Tyler realizes what Klaus is trying to do and attempts to kick a fuss to escape... But it's no use. He can't breathe and all that is filling his mouth is the warm, metallic-tasting liquid of blood. He has no choice but to swallow it. Klaus looks at Bonnie as he speaks.

"I need you to find a way to save my Hybrids, Bonnie. And for Tyler's sake you better hurry."

The sickening _crack_ that Tyler's neck makes as it breaks causes the confused, terrified and angry Evie to pass out for the _third time today_.

...

"Not again," Klaus murmurs softly as he scoops the unconscious doppelganger from the ground. He allows his eyes to trace her delicate features and smirks as he sees her eyes flicker underneath their lids. "I'm growing quite tired of having you pass out on me, my dear."

"You're... A bastard," Evelyn whispers croakily as she awakens from her short unconsciousness. She is instantly met by the breathtaking depths of his eyes and feels her anger momentarily subside. _He's beautiful_.

"Oh, and don't I know it," he chuckles before allowing her to stand on her own two feet again.

"I'm tired of arguing with you, Klaus." She chokes; wrapping her arms around herself to find some warmth. The auditorium is freezing. "I could stand here and scream at you but there's no point – you just don't _care_! You don't care that you've hurt me, do you? So what's the point?"

"Oh, Evelyn," he groans in annoyance. "You know that-"

The doors open at that moment. Klaus stops mid-sentence and turns to them as everybody else in the room does to see Stefan slip inside. His eyes scan the scene in front of him – Klaus and Evelyn stood closer than what two people who 'don't care' about each other should, Chad and Dana sat cuddled up to each other and Elena comforting the pair of them. When she sees Stefan she stands up immediately.

"Stefan," Elena whispers – their eyes lock and she sees the message he is trying to convey immediately. _I'm so, so, sorry._

"Klaus," Stefan says his name with guilt tainting his voice. The Hybrid watches him warily.

"Come to save your damsel, mate?" He mumbles.

"I came to ask for your forgiveness... And pledge my loyalty," he replies... His eyes remain on the floor until he has finished. Klaus scoffs.

"Well, you broke that pledge once already."

"Wouldn't you?" Evelyn hisses and Klaus turns to her with angry eyes.

"You are in no position to question me!" He snaps.

"Elena means nothing to me anymore," Stefan interrupts. Evie grinds her teeth angrily as she glares at Stefan and then glances over at Elena sadly. _He doesn't mean it – even Klaus knows that._"Whatever you ask of me I will do."

"Fair enough!" Klaus smiles as he walks over to Elena. "Let's drink on it! Kill them," he points to the two terrified humans who stand up quickly and back away from the scene. Elena takes in their petrified expressions and feels herself grow angry at Klaus' next words; "What are you waiting for? Kill them."

"No," Elena gasps. "No, Stefan _don't_! He's not going to hurt me-" Elena is cut off as the back of Klaus' hand connects with her face. The impact sends her spinning a few times before falling to the ground. Agonizing pain shoots through her jaw and tears burn her eyes as she sobs quietly to herself – adrenaline begins racing through Evelyn's veins as she runs over to her sister. Klaus grabs her before she can get there but Stefan grabs Klaus from behind and he releases his hold on her – Evie rushes to Elena's side and checks over her jaw whilst the snarling and growling ensues from Stefan and Klaus. The Hybrid pushes Stefan's arms off of him and grabs the Vampire by the throat.

"She means _nothing_ to you? Your lies just keep piling up!" He growls angrily.

"LET THEM GO! I'LL DO WHATEVER YOU WANT – YOU HAVE MY _WORD_!"

"'Your word' doesn't mean _much_!" Klaus scoffs with a wry smirk. "Now, I went by your word all summer during which time I never have to resort to this – _stop FIGHTING_!" He compels Stefan. Both Evie and Elena realize exactly what Klaus is doing and Elena cries harder at the realization. Evelyn feels hatred run through her.

"Don't do this... Don't do this," Stefan pleads desperately.

"I didn't want to! All I wanted was your allegiance; now I'm going to have to _take_ it!"

"_Don't..._"

"You will do exactly as I say, _when_ I say it. You will not _run_... You will not _hide_... You will simply just _obey_!"

Klaus releases his hold on Stefan's throat. He feels the compulsion... The instructions burn as if acid has been poured on to his brain as he tries to fights against them. This is why people refuse to fight compulsion – the pain is the equivalent to what all those Witches seem to enjoy doing: bursting the blood vessels in the brain.

"Stefan... No," Evelyn chokes as tears fill her eyes, too. Both doppelgangers are watching the Vampire in disbelief. Stefan has always been the nicer one – he was there for Evie when no one else was. Klaus was _there_ but when he was the one who caused the pain and loneliness in her life it just isn't the same. She could be friends with Stefan without feeling guilty about it.

"Now kill them – ripper!" Klaus repeats with a successful smirk. He gestures to the two Seniors who are watching Stefan in fear for their lives. Stefan's face changes from human to demonic and Evelyn hides her face in Elena's hair so she doesn't see what happens next. Elena watches on in shock – tears stream down her cheeks silently as she watches the man she loves kill her classmates.

Klaus is smiling the whole time.

...

"It's going to be okay, Elena." Evie comforts her sister as she just sits and glares at the smirking Hybrid. He is currently sat on the bleachers and leaning back as if he has no care in the world. Stefan is stood drowning in his own guilt. He has been silent ever since he finished killing Chad and Dana; he can't even look at the twins... His chin is covered with dried blood.

"I hate him," she whispers; her voice is quivering with anger.

"I do, too." Evelyn replies brokenly.

"I am tired of all the lies I have been listening to, today." Klaus sighs contently as he hops up from where he was sat and walks over to the twins. "I think it's time we made things official."

Elena turns to look at Evelyn in confusion. The newly discovered twin stands up and steps in front of Elena defensively... It is almost as if she thinks she can hide what Klaus wants to tell her sister if she keeps her out of his sight.

"Klaus, please!" She begs him.

"You betrayed me," he reminds her with a serious expression. "Why should I do anything you ask of me?"

"Because that should mean something to you!" She growls as her fear turns to tears again, "Klaus she's my sister... You've hurt her – us – so much. No one would _get it_!"

"Why should that matter?"

Evelyn wants to tell Klaus everything but she has not really figured all of this out, yet. All she really knows is that she should hate him... She _does_ hate him but then she finds herself kissing him and the hate is still there... But it can't be hate because hate doesn't make your heart skip beats and quicken whenever you feel the 'hated' persons touch. 'Hate' doesn't make her want to help him – 'hate' should have her wishing he was dead but she finds that she is terrified at the thought of him not been around anymore.

_I don't hate him – I don't love him_, Evie realizes. _But I could. I could quite easily let myself fall for him but so much is stopping me from doing just that. His sadistic personality, his obsession with these Hybrids, his selfishness... My sister, my friends._

"I thought you understood," She whispers.

"I did... I do," he defends himself. "I just don't appreciate it."

"That's because your too selfish," she snaps before falling back to sit down beside her sister. Elena feels sick - sick at the fact that something is going on between them after _everything_ that Klaus has done. _It's just not possible!_

"You've compelled her!" Elena spits, "You have compelled her to care about you!"

"Elena... No, he didn't." Evie shakes her head.

"You wouldn't know he did!" She snaps.

"But I know that he didn't!" She defends Klaus, "I chose this, Elena! I _promise_ you that Klaus never compelled me to do anything you wouldn't like. He compelled me once but it was to _protect_ me."

"What're you _saying_?" Elena fumes as she pushes her sister away, "That you do care about him?"

"I..." The lump in Evie's throat makes her choke on her words. "I don't know..."

"Stop doing that!" Klaus growls – his face changes in anger. "STOP FIGHTING IT!"

"WHAT CHOICE DO I HAVE?" Evelyn jumps up on to her feet, "You don't _give_ me a choice! All you do is _kill_ and I can't accept that, Klaus! It's _wrong_! You're too selfish!"

"You keep telling me things that I already know, love." Klaus smirks.

"DO YOU SEE THAT?" Evie looks down at her horrified and confused sister, "he never takes _anything_ seriously! When I try to be serious he does _this_!"

"So _now_ you want to take this serious?" Klaus raises his eyebrows, "ok – then I think we should tell her. It's not nice to keep secrets from your family anyway, love." Klaus whispers to Evelyn. Elena keeps her eyes on Klaus' and he keeps his eyes on Evelyn as he closes the distance between them.

"N-No," she growls but her attempt of pushing him away fails as he pulls her in by her arms. Once she is pressed against his chest he wraps his arms around her waist and softly strokes her curled hair behind her shoulder. The fire igniting from his touch has Evelyn panicking – _I can't fight this..._

"Evelyn, you know you want too." He keeps his eyes closed to prove to Elena that he is not compelling her sister. Evie watches how Klaus' lips form the words he is speaking and melts in to his arms. His voice does strange things to her... Especially when he speaks so softly. Klaus leans down to inhale the scent of her blood from her throat.

"NO!" Elena gasps, thinking that he has bitten in to her. Evelyn's heart picks up its pace with both fear and anticipation as she realizes what Klaus is_really_ going to do. He smiles at the sound and leans down... His lips capture hers in the most gentle of kisses. She forgets everything for a moment – all the arguments and the reasons _why_ she shouldn't and cannot be kissing him... He releases her after a moment; his eyes turn straight to Elena... An evil, sadistic smirk graces his lips as he takes in her reaction.

"No compulsion what-so-ever," he whispers before looking over at the sulking Mr Salvatore. He smiles again, "It's always nice to see a Vampire in his true element. They've become such a brooding lot."

"No, _you_ did this to him! To Evie!" She hisses as she meets her sister's painfully guilt-stricken face.

"I invited them to the party, love. They are the ones dancing on the tables." He grins.

"Where _is_ it?" Rebekah's obnoxious whining has everyone aside from the crying Evie and angry Elena internally groaning. Klaus turns away from Elena to look at his sister. "Where's my necklace?" She asks Elena.

"What are you _talking_ about?" Klaus sighs.

"One of them has my necklace - _look_!" Rebekah growls whilst she shoves the mobile phone in to Klaus' hand. Her older brother takes it from her and zooms in to see that either Elena or Evelyn has the necklace on.

"Well, well. More lies," he glances at both Stefan and Evie.

"Where _is_ it?" Rebekah growls at the girls. Evelyn stands in front of her sister defensively.

"I don't have it, anymore." Elena explains.

"Neither of us do!" Evie adds.

"YOU'RE LYING!" Rebekah shrieks. One second Evie is glaring at the bitch the next minute her teeth are plunging in to her throat. Evelyn shrieks at the pain of her blood been drawn out from her body – the two sharp teeth feel like the snake bite she got when she was six... Only Vampire fangs are a lot bigger and a lot more painful.

"_KNOCK IT OFF!_" Klaus roars as he grabs his sister and breaks her hold on Evie. The doppelganger falls to her knees and holds her wound – Klaus bites in to his wrist and pushes it to her lips. "It will heal you; Drink."

"GET THEM TO TELL ME WHERE IT IS, NIK!" She orders her brother angrily. He takes a deep breath to steady the panic he just went through before pulling his wrist free from Evelyn's mouth.

"Where's the necklace, ladies. Be honest," he advises.

"I'm telling the truth," Elena answers shakily as she hugs Evie. "_I_ had it but Katherine stole it."

"_Katerina_," he smiles but everyone can see the hatred and anger in his eyes. "Of course – _well_ that's unfortunate! If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your Witch; but since we're doing this the hard way _let's_ put a clock on it, shall we?"

The Hybrid storms over to the control panel for the gym clock, kicking cups out of his way whilst he does. He hits a nice looking button and looks up to see that it is counting down from twenty.

"Twenty minutes!" He grins, "If Bonnie hasn't found a solution again I want _you_ to feed again," Klaus walks over to Stefan and stops when he is directly in front of him. "Only _this_ time I want you to feed on Elena..." He turns his eyes to the straight haired doppelganger and smiles, "You know you want too."

"Klaus! Don't _do_ this to them! If you're going to make him feed on a doppelganger then make him feed on _me_!" Evie shrieks.

"No one leaves," Klaus ignores Evelyn. "If she tries to run then fracture her spine."

"WHAT ABOUT ME?" Evie yells as she watches him leave. He turns to her and smiles softly.

"I have different plans for you, my love. Consider watching your sister die as your punishment for lying to me," he winks before leaving the room with Rebekah right behind him.

...

"What about Caroline's Dad? He trained himself to resist compulsion, didn't he?" Evie asks both Stefan and Elena whilst they stand in the increasingly uncomfortable silence.

"Stefan she's right! I don't know how he does it, maybe if you-"

"Yeah," Stefan laughs. "Maybe it's just mind control, right? Maybe it just takes some focus, a couple of _decades_ of training... No big deal." The speed of his pacing increases.

"Stefan you can _control_ this!" Elena speaks confidently, "When that buzzer goes off just... Just drink from me!"

"NO!" Evie shouts at her sister.

"You don't _get it! I CAN'T STOP, ELENA!_I'M A _RIPPER_ – A RIPPER _DOESN'T STOP!"_ He growls angrily. "I listen to the words that come out of _your_ mouth and all I hear is the sound of your _heart_ pumping _blood_ through your body... And when _that_ clock ticks down I'm going to have to _feed on you..._ Do you want to know what's worse...? I'm _not_ going to be able to stop!"

"I don't believe that and I'm pretty sure Elena doesn't, either!" Evie yells desperately. "You can fight it... You just have to want it bad enough!"

"What, because I love her?" He asks sarcastically – tears burn his eyes as he says it.

"Yeah, that's _right_ Stefan – because _YOU LOVE HER_ and she is the only family that I have left! You _need_ Elena and I need Elena: you can _do_ it!"

"You'll fight it, Stefan! You love me and after _everything_ that we've been through you owe me that!"

Stefan stops pacing as he turns and looks over the woman he loves. A bruise is forming on her beautiful face from where Klaus' hand connected with her cheek. He thinks back to that and the anger and hatred all rushes through him again...

"You know what: you're right. Iowe you _everything_ because through all of this you are the one thing that's kept me from giving up and turning it all off... But I can't help what I am, Elena. The more blood that I get the more I want and if I get so much as near yours... You are dead."

Stefan's bluntness causes the tears glistening in Elena's eyes to fall down her cheeks. Evelyn glances up at the clock sadly... 4 minutes and 51 seconds remain.

...

_Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock._

The clock doesn't make a sound but something in Evelyn's head does. Each time the seconds go down the sound reverberates through her ears despite it been silent in here... Aside from Stefan's footsteps and Elena's quiet sobbing.

"What if we run?" Evie asks.

"You can run – it's not you he wants to kill," Elena replies.

"I'm not leaving you!" Evelyn snaps, "I would _never_ leave you!"

"What are you doing, Evie?" Elena finally asks – raising her eyes from the floor to hers, "What is going on with you and Klaus?"

"Not now, Elena. I promise I will explain everything to you but we can't do this now – we need to run!" Evie begs as she pulls her sister to her feet. "Stefan will fight but we need to get as far as possible!"

"I can't!" Elena yells.

"Elena, run! Listen to Evie!" Stefan pants.

"But Klaus said if I run-"

"I know what he said but if you stay it won't matter! Elena _please, please, PLEASE!_Elena... there's no other way!"

Evelyn is crying again. She hates what Klaus is doing to them – Stefan loves Elena more than anyone in the world and he his having him kill her to punish not only Stefan but herself. He is inhumane... 'Incapable of emotions'... But if that is true then why did he save her when Rebekah attacked her? Why did he look so desperate for her to ignore rationality when they were in that restaurant...? _Why_ is he respecting her decision a lot more than an 'emotionless monster' would? He _is_ a monster; Evie is certain that, after everything that has happened today, he really is a monster... But there is a piece of humanity left. That humanity is locked away and whenever it starts to come to the surface the monster locks it away again.

He is been so cruel because this is how he fights his feelings for her.

"There is another way, Stefan! It's for you to fight!

_BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!_

"ELENA!" Evie shrieks as Stefan falls to his knees. Stefan pants in agony as he fights the compulsion... It hurts so _badly_!

"Stefan," Elena whispers, "I _love_ you. Keep fighting and _don't give up_!"

"I CAN'T HOLD IT!" He chokes before crying out in agony. He lunges for Elena but Evie drags her shrieking sister out of his way before he can get her. He keeps a tight hold on one of the posts on the bleachers and cries out again. "ELENA _RUN! GO!_"

Elena grabs Evie's hand and both the doppelgangers run as fast as they can. Stefan wants to carry out what he was compelled to do but his humanity is far too strong for it. He can't kill the woman he loves... But he wants to. His head hurts – he wants to give in to the increasing pressure. He watches them run and feels his Vampirism respond. _A Hunter enjoys the chase._ They run noisily through the school hallways; their panting increases as their legs begin to hurt but they carry on because they _have_ to! They can hear Stefan following them and occasionally they hear a crashing – as if he is throwing something in to the lockers.

"IN HERE!" Evie points to a set of double doors and Elena barges through them. Once they have shut they peer through the small linear windows to catch their breath. They jump in unison as a _crash_ goes off louder than the others and both of them turn to run.

They gasp as they come face-to-face with Klaus.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," the Hybrid smirks at the tired and emotional wreck that is Elena Gilbert.

"Klaus _please_ stop him!" Evie begs, pushing Elena out of her way to cling on to the Hybrid. "Please – do it for me... Because you _care_ about me; _PLEASE!_"

"You're wasting your time," Klaus presses a soft kiss to Evie's forehead before he grabs both of them by their arms and leads them to where he can hear Stefan snapping something in the Cafeteria. Once they enter the Cafeteria they spot Stefan with a stake through his stomach.

"Now this is interesting – I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this _one girl_," Klaus looks down at the beautiful replica of his girl and rolls his eyes. "Why don't you turn it off?"

"NO!" Stefan spits with hatred dripping from his voice.

"Come _on_! Your humanity is _killing you_!" He makes it sound like a joke. All the guilt must be exhausting... Turn it off," he smiles – positive that he will after the guilt is mentioned.

NO!" Stefan refuses.

"Stefan," Elena sobs.

"You're strong but you're not _that_ strong," Klaus gently tugs the stake from Stefan's grip and throws it aside. "Turn. It. Off." He compels.

"Don't," Evie chokes. Elena and Evie watch the scene – both are tensed up... _Praying_ that he can fight the compulsion. He hates this; it's so painful but he keeps on going because the only thing worse than _this_ pain would be the pain of losing the woman he loves.

"NO!" Stefan roars louder than he has at any point today as he pushes Klaus away from him. Klaus watches furiously as Elena and Evie feel a tiny glimmer of hope; _maybe he can do this_.

But then Klaus grabs Stefan and forces him against a wall. He pins him there by his throat and puts his desperation behind this compulsion. He has a _lot_of desperation – for as long as he can remember he has been all alone and stuck in this never ending pattern of death and destruction. He wants the power to turn off his emotions, too. He thought he did have the power until Evelyn came along – whenever he tries turning them off now he cannot. He will think he has but the next time he sees her smile that stupid glow of warmth with make him want to smile and he will hate himself even more. She makes him _feel_ – the worst part is the guilt, though. Now he knows he can care about her he knows he can feel guilt... Now, he has been emotionless for over one thousand years _but_ when it comes to Evelyn he _does_ feel guilty – guilty for _everything_ he has done to hurt her... But he just can't break out of the pattern that he has been so familiar with. He has lived this way long before she came along... Old habits die hard.

"_TURN IT OFF!"_Klaus roars emotionally – trying to ignore the feelings coming to the surface now that he has allowed himself to think of the pain he has put the one person that he really does care about through. He knows this will only make her hate this side of him _even more_ – that she won't want to be what he needs her to be _even more_ – but he needs Stefan to be on his side. He watches Stefan curiously as he chokes... The battle is lost. That wave of power and pain was just _too strong_. To fight this is the equivalent of drowning – not only does his head hurt but his lungs burn. He can't breathe... So he does.

He turns it off.

"What did you do?" Elena asks in disgust as she watches Stefan stand there silently... His head rolls back and his eyes close as he gives up. The pain, the guilt, the hate, the love... All of it shuts down. He can breathe again – his head stops hurting... Everything is _so_ much more endurable, now. Klaus smiles and turns around to meet Elena's disgusted gaze.

"I fixed him," he whispers... Still replaying Stefan turning off his emotions in his mind. His eyes meet Evelyn's and she sees exactly what he is thinking. She _knows_ that he would kill to be able to turn his off. She sees how his eyes soften and how just a small portion of guilt fills those beautiful green/blue eyes of his. He sees her analysing him and anger sweeps through him. "But I think a test is in order, don't you?" He asks as he storms past Evelyn and towards a shocked Elena. He places his hands on her shoulders and looks over at Stefan; "Ripper, perhaps you'd like a drink-" he sweeps her long, glossy hair behind her shoulder and she cringes from how close his lips are to her ear, "From the doppelgangers neck?"

"Klaus _don't do this_," Evelyn warns.

He ignores her as much as he can as he watches Stefan's face change in to that of a true Vampire – a small smile plays at his lips as he stalks his prey... Elena. Her blood smells so good: he idly wonders why the _Hell_ he never tried to take it from her before. Both the doppelgangers watch him in disbelief and Evie starts to cry as Klaus pulls her away from Elena.

"I _hate_this... This _monster_ inside of you!" She growls quietly, "But I _know_ I can kill it; I promise you that I will kill it!" Her eyes stay locked on Klaus' as she speaks. He smiles but she can see the emotions from earlier on in his eyes. He wants to kiss her again... But she yanks herself out of his arms and pushes Elena out of the way as Stefan dives for her. He ends up with Evelyn in his arms – oh, what does it matter? She's still a doppelganger and her blood smells _just as good_. Evie doesn't scream as Stefan's teeth sink in to her throat.

"NO!"

But Klaus does.

...

"Well, the verdict is in." Klaus murmurs as he carries Evelyn in to the classroom that Rebekah, Tyler and Caroline are sat in. "The Original Witch says that the doppelganger should be dead," he places the sobbing doppelganger on a nearby table as gently as possible and presses his lips to her cheek and then _shushes_ her soothingly.

"Does that mean we can kill them!" Rebekah asks excitedly.

"No, I'm fairly certain that it means the opposite."

"What?" Rebekah asks in confusion. Klaus gestures to Caroline – the blonde Original grabs Caroline and restrains her from going near her Werewolf-turned-Hybrid boyfriend.

"Call it a hunch..." He leans down to Tyler's level, "Elena's blood – drink it."

"No! No, no, no, no! Tyler _don't_!" Caroline begs.

"If he doesn't feed he'll die anyway, love. Consider this an experiment," he murmurs before handing the test tube of blood over to Tyler. Poor Tyler is so ill... He can feel his life slipping away every second. He looks up at Klaus uncertainly, "It's okay," the Hybrid nods encouragingly. Tyler reaches a shaking hand up to the tube and takes it from his hands. "There we go," he encourages him further. Tyler feels like this is wrong – to drink from his friend – but he does anyway.

"Good boy," Klaus smiles.

As soon as her blood slips down his throat stabbing pains shoot through his head and teeth. His heart quickly joins that list and he chokes on the blood whilst clutching his t-shirt where his heart is. He falls to the floor and cries out in agony.

"NO!" Caroline cries as she tries to break free from Rebekah's grip. Evie gets up to try and assist Tyler in some way but she is too shaky – she has lost so much blood that her vision is clouded and her body is weak. Klaus catches her before she can fall and makes a mental note to feed her some blood after he has seen what happens with Tyler. He cries out some more and crawls on to his hands and knees – Klaus crouches down in front of him to get a closer look and when Tyler does look up at Klaus his eyes are yellow, the veins are rising and falling underneath his eyes and two fangs have elongated from his gums. He snarls at the man who did this to him who merely smiles in response.

"Now _that's_a good sign." He smiles successfully.

...

All sorts of noises from the nocturnal creatures can be heard as Klaus and Evelyn sit on the front of the truck they got to Mystic Falls in. She is sat in his lap with his wrist pressed to her lips – she drinks from him whilst he strokes her hair. A small smile graces his lips as he watches the beautiful woman enjoy the taste of his blood. Once he thinks she has had enough he pulls his wrist from her grasp and she sighs.

"Where's Elena?" She whispers as she falls back so that her cheek is resting on his chest. He lays back and rests his head on his arms – looking up at the stars dotted across the night sky.

"She's... Somewhere safe," Klaus promises her. Normally Evie would care a lot more but she is too exhausted to argue with him for any more information, right now.

"So... So me and Elena... We're not 'the problem'... Our blood is the solution?" Evie asks between yawns. Klaus' chest vibrates with his quiet chuckles.

"It seems so," he replies. "A Witch must have messed around with the curse after the Original one died... It makes sense – they created a twin so that when one died-"

"You could use the blood of the other," Evie nods against his chest in understanding. "Does that mean you're going to use my blood?"

"No... I don't want to use you," he replies. He moves so that Evelyn's head rests on the car windshield so that he can prop himself up – he wants to look at her. "You've been through enough."

"Elena has been through much more..." Evie coughs and Klaus lightly strokes some hair behind her ear.

"But I don't love her."

Evie's tiredness fades as she gazes up at him with wide eyes. He takes in her reaction like he had with Tyler when he was turning in to a Hybrid, earlier. Fear and hope shimmer in his green/blue eyes as he explains himself.

"We fall in love quickly. Hybrids have heightened emotions – even more so than Vampire's and Werewolves. I understand you will certainly not and never will love a monster like myself but I want you to know that I love you no matter _what_."

"Klaus," she whispers tearfully before she laughs at herself. "I have cried way too much today! I feel so pathetic."

"You have also passed out far too much today," he points out. "The number went up to four after Stefan... Stefan fed on you," Klaus frowns at the memory and Evie lifts her hand up to stroke his cheek. She decides to change the topic of conversation – she is happy it was her. She would rather it have been her than Elena; it would have haunted her sister for the rest of her life.

"How did you know that our blood completes the transition?" Evie questions curiously.

"Well, the Original Witch _hated_ me with a passion; she said that you and Elena had to be therefore I knew you had to be alive," he murmurs with a grin.

"You piss a _lot_ of people off," she scoffs.

"Do I piss you off?" He asks.

"All the fucking time!" She growls but then her whole demeanour becomes gentle again as she sits up so their faces are level, "But I can't seem to stay away from you."

"And I you," he whispers tenderly.

"Did that Witch always hate you, then?"

"That story can be told another time... When you are less sleepy," he laughs lightly, "But all of this does make sense if it is looked at from her perspective. It was her fail safe in case I ever broke the Hybrid curse. The doppelganger had to die in order for me to become a Hybrid but if she was dead then I couldn't use her blood to sire myself a new species," he murmurs.

"And then another Witch who obviously _liked_ you created a twin so that her failsafe was worthless... And then another Witch who hated you put a curse on the weaker doppelganger twin so she would die so the Original Witches curse would have meaning again."

"Leaving me alone for all eternity," he finished.

"Is... Is this what this is about? Your obsession with making Hybrids... You just don't want to be alone?" Evelyn asks – watching as his expression turns from loving to angry. She can see the look in his eyes – that too many emotions make him vengeful – and shakes her head. "No! Don't turn your emotions off like that!" She hisses. She knows of only one thing that can stop him so she pushes her lips to his.

Klaus' anger slips away. He melts against Evelyn after a moment of fighting against her lips and joins in with the kiss. She wraps her arms around his neck and pushes herself as close to him as possible. Klaus does not argue at all – he pulls her closer and deepens their kiss. A few minutes of passionate kisses are shared before the kiss becomes lazy; they just enjoy the feeling of each other's lips for a while. Neither have felt this alive in a long time. They have been alone for so long; they find a companion in the other... No matter what they do to hurt each other.

"Klaus."

The Hybrid pulls away from Evelyn to see that Rebekah is stood behind them. When Evie glances over her shoulder and sees the blonde Original she blushes the deepest shade of red imaginable. Klaus clears his throat and hops off of the truck; refusing to make eye contact with his sister.

"Rebekah," he forces a smile on to his lips. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes..." She glares at her brother and his newly found love interest, "choose a doppelganger and get in the truck." She snaps, "I'll go and find Stefan."

After Rebekah has stormed off Klaus turns back to Evie whilst rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Both of them lock eyes before smiling. Evie giggles.

"And that is a pretty pissed off sister," She laughs. Klaus is about to run and pull her in for another kiss but he senses footsteps nearby. He turns around and smirks as he spots none other than Damon Salvatore stalking towards them.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party!" Evie frowns at Damon – she had completely forgotten about him up until now, actually. _Where has he been?_

"Where is she?" Damon snaps.

"Elena? Uh, she's making her donation to a greater cause," Klaus explains with a smirk the whole time.

"_What?_" Evie asks emotionlessly – her shoulders slump as she realizes exactly what he means.

"I can't let you interfere, mate," Klaus sighs as he pushes Damon back.

"You dick!" Evie growls, "Let him go, Klaus. NOW!"

"You'll have to kill me," Damon ignores Evie – he _hates_ this doppelganger. He sees her as a betrayal – she chose Klaus' '_love_' over finding her sister.

"Oh I would _love_ to kill you but, uh, I made a pledge to your brother and unlike him I actually keep my word. Although, you know what – thinking about it now... He _probably_ doesn't care that much anymore!"

Klaus forces Damon back on to the truck he had been sat on with Evie moments before and Damon crosses his arms over his chest to prevent the Hybrid from tearing his heart out.

"STOP, NO! _PLEASE_!" Evie begs fearfully – she may hate Damon but she does _not_ want to watch him die... Or see him die like that, either. It must be _so painful_ to have your heart ripped from your chest – she shudders.

"Don't you want to know about your friend Mikael!" Damon chokes out before Klaus can stick his hand in to his chest. He freezes in place and Evie watches as Klaus' eyes go from angry to fearful in seconds.

"What do you know about Mikael!" Klaus asks cautiously.

"Just that he knows you're here," Damon taunts.

"You're _bluffing_!" Klaus says it mainly to comfort himself – anybody could see that.

"Katherine and I found him. Consider it our leverage," He replies snidely. Klaus becomes _furious_ – he throws Damon in to the car beside them viciously before disappearing in to the darkness. Evie looks around and feels her heart beat go back to normal before running do Damon's side.

"Damon! Are you okay?" Evie asks worriedly as he groans in pain a couple of times.

"I'm... Uh, I'm fine," he dismisses her distractedly as he looks around in to the shadows... But there is not a trace of the Hybrid anywhere. _He's gone_.

"Damon, we _need_ to find Elena," she reminds him – the Vampire instantly stands up and nods.

"Quickly – come on!" He calls before both of them run in to the hospital. They pass a number of wards until Damon leads her in to one where he can smell Elena's scent the strongest. They power walk through the place and past a couple of nurses until they reach a room where she is. Evie gasps at her sleeping sister as she admires the wires attached to her in disgust.

"These are here to take her blood," Damon murmurs as he glances at the now pale Evelyn Gilbert. "It looks like Klaus has taken whatever was attached to it."

"I see," Evie nods. "Come on – let's get her out of here." She helps the Vampire tug all of the wires out of Elena's arms and watches as her sister wakes up from her sedatives. Her chocolate eyes open slowly and instantly she is met by Damon's gaze.

"Damon..." Elena mumbles.

"Hey," he whispers soothingly before slipping his arms underneath her and picking her up in to his arms bridal style. She wraps her arms around him and clings to his shirt.

"Be careful with her," Evie whispers.

"Evelyn... Your ok," Elena smiles sleepily.

"I'm fine, silly. You're the one that we need to be worried about," Evie laughs as tears fill her eyes – Elena is alive, she is alive... She had _not_ expected either of them to survive this day yet here they are. They are very much alive and... Well, to say they were 'fine' would be a lie. Emotionally they are both distraught and physically they are bruised and beaten.

But they survived another day which is always a good enough reason to carry on smiling. And now the two sisters are back together – Evie swears to herself that they will remain this way... Although she knows she will miss Klaus she also knows that he will come back for her. This time apart from one another will give her the time and space she _really_ needs to think about what is going on between them and what she really wants from him.

...

"Here, Damon." Evie enters the parlour in her PJ's to hand Damon the blood bag he had asked her to retrieve. He mumbles a thanks and watches as she sits beside Elena and pulls some of her blanket over herself.

"Where were you, Damon?" Elena asks with tears in her eyes after a moment of silence. Evie looks over at her sister and feels tears fill her own eyes just at the sadness in her face. Damon's expression becomes guilty.

"I shouldn't have left," his voice is laced with guilt. Elena looks down at her hands as she chews on her lower lip to try and stop herself from crying, again. Evie wraps an arm around her shoulder and leans her head on her shoulder in comfort. Damon reaches over and places a comforting hand on Elena's knee that has her eyes meeting his again. "I promise you... I will _never_ leave you again," he looks so loving and guilty when he says that. Evie feels like she is tainting some intimate moment so she closes her eyes and begins to doze off. The next time Evie opens her eyes is when another voice enters the room.

"Well isn't this cosy?" Stefan asks from where he is leaning against the doorframe. Damon stands up and turns around in disbelief to see his brother watching the exchange with a smirk on his face.

"What are you doing here, brother?" Damon asks.

"Last I checked... I live here," he frowns as he pours a glass of whiskey for himself. Elena and Evie watch Stefan helplessly... He has changed completely. _Klaus did this to him_. "Klaus is gone but he's asked me to keep watch on you two until he returns," Stefan gestures to the two doppelgangers with his glass, "From now on you're under my protection – which _means_ that little miss Evelyn is going to have to enrol in school, tomorrow."

"Oh, damnit! Is school really starting again _tomorrow_?" Evie gasps.

"Evelyn you're definitely not going back to your old school, now. Write down your schools name and I'll go sort everything out," Damon sighs – he doesn't like her but he wants to keep her safe for Elena's sake. Evelyn nods in understanding before standing up and looking around for a notepad and pen. Elena watches Stefan curiously – he just smiles at her as if they are nothing but acquaintances and takes a sip from his glass.

"By all means, continue!" Stefan gestures to his ex-girlfriend and brother before leaving the room. They glance at each other in disbelief before turning to look at Evelyn who wears the same disbelieving look on her face.

_Stefan's here but his humanity is gone._


	7. Smells Like Teen Spirit

_As you've probably guessed I have re-arranged all the chapters so there is just 1 chapter per episode rather than 3. It was getting too crowded and disorganized so I just had to do it. Anyway: here is the next chapter. Sorry that it's probably not as good as the others - whoever decided to keep Klaus out of this episode is an IDIOT! :( I hope you can enjoy it without him._

...

Evelyn can't sleep.

She slept for a little while but her bittersweet dreams woke her after a couple of hours. Maybe it is because she is sleeping in her dead sort-of aunt's room... Or maybe it is because she is secretly worrying about Klaus; she is unwilling to admit that, though. She blames it on her dead aunt. A bleeping resonates through the house and the sudden noise makes her heart skip a beat and then beat faster.

"What the _Hell_...?" She throws the blankets off herself and unwillingly heads straight to Elena's room. When she sees her sister is up out of bed by the mirror she frowns. "Elena, _why_ are you up at five A.M?"

"Oh, God – Evie!" Elena gasps in fright as she holds a hand over her heart, "Don't _do_ that!"

"Stop been silly," she rolls her eyes as she heads over to join her sister in the mirror. They both stare at their reflections with the dim lighting in the room; two doppelgangers... The double of one another. The double of Katerina... The double of the Original Petrova.

"It scares me," Elena takes a shaky breath. "Just how _much_ we look alike."

"I know... It scares me, too." Evie nods before toying around with her curled hair. She wants to wear it in a pony tail today so she pulls it all up and admires herself in the mirror... "Aww man, look at those!"

"Ouch," Elena gasps as she presses on the two small punctures in Evelyn's neck.

"I thought Klaus' blood would have healed those!" Evie whimpers.

"The bite must have been pretty hard... Maybe it will take a little time," Elena shrugs although she looks worried about what that could mean. Evie decides to forget about it – she does _not_ need another thing to add on to her list of worries. "Wait... Klaus _healed_ you?"

"Elena I know you think this was some insane attraction on my part but it goes deeper than that... I will explain but I need time," She begs, "I know it's going to be annoying to wait but all I can really think about right now is how this day is going to go and how many people are going to call me Elena."

Elena laughs despite herself, "You'll be stabbing everyone who calls you 'Elena' by the end of the day!"

...

"Are you alright?" Jeremy asks a pale-faced Evelyn as Elena pulls in to the school's parking lot.

"She's _terrified_," Damon smirks as he opens the passenger door and waits for the three humans to climb out with their school bags. "Got everything? Books, lunch money, number two pencils?"

"Shut _up_," Evie growls.

"Well _somebody_ woke up on the wrong side of the cage!" He retorts to receive a kick to... Well, the crotch. He cries out and grinds his teeth as he fights off the need to fall to his knees; he feels like snapping her neck as they all laugh at him.

"Damn, I'll make sure to stay away from you today!" Jeremy chuckles, "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye, Jer!" Elena waves, "Okay – I'm going over to Caroline and Bonnie. Call me if you need anything," she orders Evie before making a hasty exit. The doppelganger turns to look up at a glaring Damon. She rolls her eyes.

"Oh, stop been so pouty – you were been a dick so I made yours hurt."

"You're _hilarious_; your jokes are just too much!" He gives out an extremely sarcastic laugh before he grabs her arm, "Let's finish your enrolment in to Mystic Falls High School so I can go home and check on the ripper."

...

"So how're you enjoying your first day?"

Evelyn Gilbert is currently leaning against the lockers with her eyes closed – she is still exhausted due the lack of sleep she had got last night to even have a real opinion on her new school. She frowns.

"It's shit. I want to go to bed," she groans before whimpering sadly.

"Yesterday wasn't exactly the greatest of days," Elena agrees.

"You've got that right. I was bitten _twice_, Matt killed himself, Tyler is a Hybrid _and_ speaking of Hybrid's _we're_ their key to survival!" Evie takes a deep breath. "All of that made yesterday the worst day _ever_."

"And the part with Klaus," Elena's eyes are accusing as her sister grimaces.

"Elena, I already said I-"

"It doesn't matter," she holds her hand up to silence her sister. "I can't tell you what to do and, at the end of the day, you're one of the only family members I have left – I don't want you to leave... But you have to know that I will _never_ accept him. _Ever_."

"And I completely know and understand exactly why you won't," Evie nods. "Trust me – I wish I could be that way..."

Elena sighs and turns away. She spots Caroline and watches her as she pins something up on one of the notice boards. She walks closer and Evelyn curiously follows until she can read the letters on the sheet of paper – 'Spirit Squad Back To School Bonfire. BE THERE!'

"Ugh, I forgot about the bonfire," Elena sighs tiredly but smiles anyway.

"You have to go! It's our first spirit squad event and it sets us up for the _whole year_ and-"

"Relax, Caroline. I'll make sure we're there," Evie reassures her as she rests her arm on Elena's shoulder.

"Thank you," she says gratefully to Evelyn, "It's just that-"

Evie grimaces as Tyler comes swooping in and presses his lips to Caroline's. Elena turns to roll her eyes at her sister. "Guys, get a room," Evie snaps in disgust.

"Happy first day," Tyler wishes Caroline with a smile whilst he ignores Evelyn's comment... But Caroline is not smiling back. She is staring off in to space and touching her lips. The taste is so familiar but she cannot put a name on it. It tastes like... Like...

"Is that blood?" Elena asks as she admires Tyler's shirt.

"Oh my _God_!" Caroline growls in realization before yanking Tyler in to the bathroom. Evie and Elena exchange a worried glance before following them inside. Elena checks the stalls to see if anyone is in there whilst Evie leans against the wall.

"What's going on?" Tyler asks defensively.

"Vampire 101 – _don't_ bring your breakfast to school!" She hisses, slapping his chest as she does to release some of the irritation.

"Chill out it was just a blood bag!" He dismisses her – _their_ – concern.

"From _where_?" Caroline snaps.

"Rebekah hooked me up!" He replies to receive numerous _are you kidding me?_Looks from Caroline, Elena and Evelyn.

"That bitch is behind everything, I _swear_." Evie shrugs.

"Shut up, you." Elena mumbles.

"_Rebekah hooked you up?_And _what_are you talking to her for?" Caroline growls.

"Klaus told her to keep a watch on me," he shrugs, "protect his new asset."

"_Another_ pro-Klaus guy? Back off, Wolfy. He's mine," Evie warns with raised eyebrows.

"Why are you so amused by all this?" Elena shouts at Evie.

"_Amused?_ Are you _insane_? Do you really think I'm _enjoying_ having a thousand-year-old Hybrid make out with me and then be like _'oh, by the way I want all of your blood'_? I'm just trying to _get by, _Elena... I can't deal with _any_of this if it's all doom and gloom!"

"You seem to be jealous of these Hybrids... It makes sense, considering that you actually _like_ the guy!" Caroline snaps at Evie.

"Stop teaming up on her – And can't you try and look at this from my perspective? I _am_ his first successful Hybrid – don't you think that's the tiniest bit awesome?"

"No because Hybrids mean that Elena and myself are in danger of having our blood drained from our bodies you _dick_!" Evie hisses despite the fact that he just stuck up for her.

"I _cannot_ believe you just said that," Caroline scoffs to Tyler, backing the doppelgangers up.

"Uh... We're going to go," Elena grabs Evie. "Good luck," she whispers to Caroline on her way out. Evelyn cannot find anything to say so she childishly sticks her tongue out at the Werewolf-turned-Hybrid before Elena yanks her out of the room – leaving them to talk without her sister making stupid little remarks.

"I can't believe you—ow!" In her haste Elena ends up walking straight in to a cool, hard chest. She turns and looks up to meet the soulless green eyes of Stefan. Each and every time she looks in to those eyes she feels herself falling apart; the Stefan she fell in love with is not in there. This is... This _thing_ is worse than what Damon was when he first arrived.

"Hello Elena... Evie," He nods in her direction and she narrows her chocolate brown eyes accusingly. She is used to the rippers – she knows that he has been feeding. She can see the energy in his eyes; Klaus _always_ had that energy in his eyes. Of course, Evelyn had tried to ignore the fact that he killed people every day.

"What are you doing here?" Elena asks coldly.

"What do you mean? I'm going back to school – go Timberwolves!" A ghost of a smirk plays on his lips.

"What? Why?" Elena frowns.

"Klaus wants me to keep an eye on the pair of you... I'm just doing what I've been told," he grins.

"Elena, we're going to be late for class," Evelyn speaks with her eyes on Stefan and Stefan only. She is watching him warily – this_ is_ the Vampire who nearly drained her of her blood just last night... She doesn't want to take any chances. The Stefan they all know and love is _gone_.

"Oh, uh, class is this way," he knows the pattern that Evelyn's thoughts are taking. He grabs Elena's arm to stop them from going anywhere: he knows that Evie would not leave Elena alone with him. He is finding this amusing – toying around with their emotions like this. Elena looks like she is about to break down and Evie looks like she wants to slap him. He _loves_ it!

"Let go of me, Stefan." Elena orders him angrily.

"Elena, do you think I want to be a Senior for the hundredth time? _No_. But if I don't have a choice in the matter; neither do you and neither do _you_," he nods to Evelyn who grabs his wrist. Elena looks down at her hand enclosed around Stefan's in shock.

"She _said_ let _go_ of her!" Evie growls quietly – she could not deny that her heart begins beating faster as a glare crosses the Vampire's face. Ever since he fed on her she has been terrified of going anywhere near him or Rebekah but she cares about Elena too much to let him hurt her like this.

"Let them go."

The teens all turn around to see that Mr Saltzman has arrived. He is glaring at Stefan warningly who just looks up at him with a cocky smirk and holds his hands up in a surrendering gesture. Ric walks closer to Stefan and the Vampire shoves his teacher in to the lockers before he can say anything else. The remaining people in the hallways watch the scene in confusion – _Stefan is out of character._

"Stefan, _stop it_!" Elena hisses. The Ripper looks around at the familiar faces of his classmates eyeing him with confusion and grins before turning back to Alaric. He ignores Elena's orders.

"You're not going to want to get in my way... You hear me?" He asks Ric who just nods in response... He may be the authority figure here but something tells him that this Stefan really won't care about that. He is lucky that his neck wasn't snapped. Stefan pats Ric's shoulder and smiles before turning back to the twins, "I will see you all in History!"

Stefan walks away – once he has disappeared Evelyn pulls her sister in for a hug and Ric clears his throat.

"Get to class, ladies. Come to my classroom after you've finished your lunch... I want to talk about this," he murmurs to the two girls before he walks away, too.

...

"What the Hell is he doing here?" Alaric demands whilst he places the History textbooks he wants to use in his lesson on each desk.

"Klaus compelled him to watch over us," Elena murmurs whilst she keeps her arms around herself. She is staring at the floor sadly – this has been the worst day _ever_. Evelyn sees her sisters struggle to explain so she takes over.

"Apparently we're part of the 'Klaus' assets' gang now that our blood is the only way to create a Hybrid."

"So now he's a bodyguard?" Ric asks in disbelief.

"I don't know _what_ he is but he's definitely _not_ Stefan," Elena replies. On queue the school bell rings to signal that it is time to throw the remnants of lunch time away and head to class. People are already beginning to file in to Ric's history class – they lower their voices so they do not startle the naive students.

"Look, his been here is not good for _any_ of us. We _have_ to do something," Evie begs as she looks between Alaric and Elena. Ric nods sternly and Elena sighs sadly.

"You're right," Elena nods as she fights back her tears. "But let's get through the rest of school, first."

Elena and Evie make their way to their seats – Elena sits beside Caroline and Evie sits in the empty space behind Elena. They are fully focused on the lesson until a familiar voice enters their ears.

"You're in _my_ seat," Stefan grabs the guy and pulls him out of it before he takes his place. Caroline, Evie and Elena look up at him as he notices them and smiles, "Hello girls," he winks as he keeps his eyes on Elena. She looks on at him in disgust whilst he spins his textbook around in a bored fashion.

"Welcome back, Seniors," Ric begins and Stefan grins as he thinks back to earlier before he turns to Elena again. She turns to Caroline who is giving her a mildly sympathetic look, "Let's, uh, turn our brains back on starting with the countries founders – the Native Americans."

"What about the Vikings?"

"Oh, _fuck_ my life," Evelyn bangs her head against the table in disbelief as she spots who walked through the door. Elena, Caroline and Tyler alongside half the students in the class watch Evie in either disbelief or confusion

"There's no evidence that Viking explorers actually settled in the United States..." Alaric frowns at Evie and then looks down at the mysterious student who has just sat on the seat in front of Stefan's. "Who are you?"

"My name is Rebekah," she introduces with an evil glint in her eyes – she rolls her eyes at the annoying doppelganger her brother seems to be taken by before turning back to Mr Saltzman. "I'm new here and History is my favourite subject."

_Definitely a Vampire_, he realizes as he looks at the numerous expressions of the 'in the know' students... And at Evelyn who still has her head on her desk.

...

"Caroline _what _am I doing at cheerleading practice?" Evie asks with raised eyebrows and folded arms as she taps her foot on the grass.

"Come on just give it a chance! Elena was on the team!" She attempts to sway her.

"I am _not_ cheerleading material, _trust_ me. _This_," she gestures to herself, "Is the girl who had a make-out session with the guy who... Killed your boyfriend?" She shrugs.

"You seem proud of that," she accuses.

"On the contrary I'm very pissed off with myself..." Evie sighs as she turns serious, "I know I seem bitchy today but I got _no_ sleep last night and I'm worried about everybody and this is just my way of dealing."

"I understand," Caroline smiles kindly whilst she pats her new friend on the shoulder. "Now come on, forget about all of the crap we're going through for half an hour and cheer with me!"

"Fine," she sighs before they all begin to stretch. Evie feels slightly uncomfortable in her green shorts and white vest-top but decides to push that aside – _enjoy yourself_, she orders.

"Has anyone seen Dana?" The head cheerleader asks whilst she looks around at the girls. A short flashback of Dana and Chad re-enters Caroline's mind and Evelyn feels her stomach churn sickeningly as she thinks back to Stefan sinking his teeth in to her throat... How beautiful Klaus' evil smile had been.

_No_, she shakes her head. _No Klaus thoughts until I get back to Elena's._

"Sounds like you have an opening on the squad," Rebekah speaks in a sweet, innocent voice that has Caroline glaring at her and Evelyn scoffing.

"What're you doing?" She asks the Original Vampire who is proceeding to mimic the stretches that the other girls are doing. She ignores Caroline for a moment before she begins annoying her. She turns and looks in to her eyes, "You can't just come here and infiltrate all of our lives."

"I'm only interested in yours," Rebekah shrugs. "Your spunk, your popularity..." She turns to see the tanned, lean and muscular Tyler Lockwood on the football field and smirks. "Maybe even your _boyfriend_."

"Leave her alone, bitch." Evie stands up to the Original who just laughs – the sound is musical.

"I'd love to see _you_ try and stop me... Last time _I_ checked I almost killed you," she whispers before skipping off to another part of the group. Caroline and Evelyn glance at each other with very similar frowns. _No one likes the Klaus Barbie that much._

"HIT THE SHOWERS, BOYS!" The Coach shouts – all of the girls look at him in confusion whilst Caroline and Evie look straight at Tyler in understanding.

"He did not just compel him," Evie whispers to Caroline.

"I think he _did_," she sighs heavily. "Stay here – I'll go talk to him."

She watches Caroline walk away and turns back to the other girls. She introduces herself to a couple of them who have come over and asked if she is the other new girl – Evelyn is pleasantly surprised to see that only ten people have called her Elena today. She had expected more. Whilst she is in the middle of a conversation with a girl named Sue she hears one of the other girls shout: "Hey, check out the new girl!" and someone else proceeds to shout a: "GO ON, REBEKAH! YOU'VE GOT THIS!"

Caroline and Evelyn glare in irritation as they watch her do various flips, cartwheels and then the splits. She turns to Tyler and Caroline with an innocently happy smile but the blonde Vampire sees through the Original's facade. Caroline looks over at Evie who shrugs and sticks her middle finger up at Rebekah when she looks away. Despite all the anger and irritation Caroline is feeling right now she has to laugh at the look on Rebekah's face. Evie walks away with a grin on her face, too.

...

"Someone looks unhappy."

"Oh, leave me alone," Evelyn snaps as she throws her gym bag over her shoulder and heads to Elena's car.

"Wasn't cheerleading practice any fun?" The Vampire pouts.

"No because the blonde-bitch, Klaus-loving-Hybrid and psycho-ripper were around," She places her bag on the front of the car and leans against it with a tired sigh.

"So it's because you're missing your boyfriend, huh?" He smirks whilst wiggling his eyebrows.

"He's not my boyfriend and _no_ I am not missing your puppeteer," she snaps snidely.

"Oh, good one," he winks. "Anyway, where's my ex-girlfriend?"

"Like you actually care?" She raises her eyebrows at him – he shrugs.

"No, _I _couldn't care less but Klaus has me keeping an eye on you two and I can't exactly do that whilst one of you are missing."

"So you're stalking us?" She scoffs.

"If that what you want to call it," he smirks.

"Evie," Elena calls as she jogs over to them with her gym bag.

"Wow, look at you getting all fit!" Stefan patronizes her as she makes it over to them.

"Finally; I was getting bored of listening to this dick," she growls – aiming the dig at Stefan who just laughs.

"Oh, are you two going to the bonfire tonight? It sounds like fun, right?"

"Seriously, Stefan? Just leave us alone!" Elena growls; unlocking the car door. Evie climbs straight in and slams it as loud as she can behind her.

"Are you going with my brother, tonight? If so it's going to be a _little _bit awkward for the pair of you," Stefan continues.

"Who _are_ you!" She yells – her patience has completely worn away, now.

"I'm the guy who's been assigned to protect a couple of human blood bags," he explains. He sees her expression and frown sarcastically, "I mean no offence or anything..."

"_Go die, Stefan!_" Evie screams from inside the car as she sees her sister's expression change from anger to pure hurt. Stefan winks at her before turning and walking away.

"I'll see you both at the bonfire!"

...

This day has been complete chaos and it is not even over yet!

Evelyn falls back on to her – well, Jenna's – bed and whimpers to herself. Elena is at the Boarding House, Jeremy is locked up in his room and she is laid here with a towel in her hair in a pair of sweats and a vest top. She _really_ needs to find something to wear for tonight. She gets up and heads over to her wardrobe and scans the numerous tops, jeans, shorts and dresses. She stops when she comes up to the black dress that Rebekah had tried on in the store in Chicago... She had been dancing and singing: bored out of her mind. Klaus had been watching her fondly...

The bittersweet memory has her wanting to burn it and wear it... She chooses the latter because she is worried about him and she is stupid like that – to wear something that will remind her of him. She pulls on a pair of black tights and some black flats to match. She adds a black cardigan and then lightly strokes her fingers over the heart vervain necklace that Caroline had gave her – she said that it had been hers whilst she was a human but after been turned she obviously had no more use for it. Evie smiles to herself – pleased that the blonde cares enough to offer her such a gift. She sings along to Turn It Off by Paramore whilst she applies some eyeliner, mascara and red lip gloss. Once she is ready she grabs her black purse, puts in some money and a dart with both vervain and Wolfsbane inside (just in case) and heads out.

"Hey, Evie. Nice look," Jeremy greets his cousin with a compliment and she smiles.

"Thanks, Jer. Are you coming to the party?" She asks.

"Sure thing, let me just get my wallet. Do you want me to drive?"

"Don't you want to drink?" She raises her eyebrows as he blushes slightly.

"I... Don't think that would be a good idea. I'll definitely drive," he nods and runs in to fetch his wallet and car keys. Soon enough they have locked up and they are on their way to the Spirit Squad Bonfire. Evie feels herself dozing off in the car until her phone buzzes – signalling that she has a text message. She pulls it from her purse to see Elena's name flashing up on the screen.

_Come up to Ric's classroom once you get to school, it's about Stefan. X_

...

"Hey, what's going on?" Evie questions Elena, Ric and Damon as she enters the dimly lit classroom. The school is so eerie when it is dark... Although that may be because of what went down last night.

Was it really just last night? It feels like it happened months ago.

"We're locking Stefan up," Elena explains. "I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire – then, when he is distracted-"

"I'll shoot him," Ric interrupts sternly and Elena nods.

"Can't Bonnie just juju him?" Damon asks from where he is lazily sat on the bookshelf with his head leant against the wall.

"I'm trying to keep Bonnie out of it because I don't trust that Stefan won't hurt her..."

"Good idea – he's already tried to kill me," Evie grimaces and unconsciously rubs her neck at the memory.

"Oh, Caroline! Are you covered?"

"Yes! I will make sure that the old Forbes chamber cell is prepped and ready!"

"You're forgetting a key player, here," Damon reminds them all, "_Rebekah_!"

"He has a point," Evie sighs, "Wherever Stefan goes a blonde ponytail tends to follow."

"Which is why it is Damon's job to distract her away," Elena turns to Damon who gives her an incredulous look.

"_How_? She is an Original – last time I checked we're out of daggers!"

"Well, then, preoccupy her with your charm." Elena shrugs.

"We might have better look finding that dagger," Evie scoffs.

"I second that," Ric grins.

"Are you ever not going to be mad at me, Ric?" Damon asks – not caring that Evelyn was the one who made the comment.

"Doubtful," Ric replies.

"Sorry I'm late!" Tyler enters the room sheepishly, "What's going on?"

"We need you to raid your Mom's Vervain supply – enough to keep Stefan down for a while," Elena orders.

"You can't do that to Stefan," Tyler frowns uncertainly.

"Why not?" Caroline questions curiously.

"Trust me, Tyler; It's in his best interest."

"Yeah," Caroline backs Elena up.

"Well it's not in Klaus'," Tyler backfires.

"Ok, he's lost it!" Evie throws her hands up in exasperation, "dude – he killed you!"

"He gave me a _gift_!" Tyler snaps to the doppelganger.

"Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler! _Why_ are you acting like some freaky Hybrid-slave-minion?" Caroline yells – she has had to put up with this all day and, to be honest, she is _sick_ of it. This is _not_ the Tyler that she fell in love with!

"Uh-oh," Damon sing-songs as he pushes himself off of the book case and walks closer to Tyler.

"What?" Ric asks; he doesn't like the sound of that.

"Klaus made me who I am, Caroline. I owe him _everything_!"

"Oh boy," Damon rolls his eyes.

"Alright, Damon – enough!" Evie snaps in annoyance.

"Yeah, can we cool it on the commentary, please?" Caroline shouts at Damon.

"What is going on?" Elena asks warily.

"I'm just going to _go_," Tyler holds his hands up in a slight surrender before backing off out of the room. Damon grabs the Vervain/Wolfsbane dart from Evie's purse and shoves it in to his back before he can get out of the door.

"HEY!" Evie growls as she snatches her purse back.

"WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_?" Caroline yells. She kneels down beside her boyfriend and checks over him whilst Damon finally explains his commentary.

"He's been sired," he curses.

"What?" Ric is confused, just as everybody else is.

"Sired: He feels loyal to Klaus because Klaus' blood created him," Damon explains.

"Loyal _how_?" Elena questions worriedly.

"He'll seek acceptance from his master; it's really rare but maybe not so much in Hybrids..."

"Can't we fix him?" Evie asks the black haired Vampire. He sighs and looks down at Caroline.

"There is only one way to fix it... Get a new boyfriend."

"Okay, Caroline fix this – Damon... Go flirt with Rebekah and you two," he gestures to the twins, "go lure Stefan out. I'm sure it will work better with the both of you."

"Okkie dokkie," Evie claps as she slides off of the desk she was perched on. "Come on, sis. Let's go lure out a Vampire!"

...

The bonfire party is in full swing and everybody is having an amazing time. The humans are all dancing around, laughing with their friend and drinking until they have no idea where they are. This is such a simple way of life for them: Eat, Sleep, School, Party... They don't have to worry about Vampires and Werewolves and Hybrids and Witches and Ghosts. _They are the lucky ones_, Evie muses bitterly as she makes her way through the crowd with Elena.

Stefan spots Rebekah frowning at the container that holds the alcohol as she tries to decipher how to get the liquid in to her red plastic cup. The Salvatore brother plucks the cup from her hand and pours himself a drink effortlessly. Rebekah pouts in annoyance – she loves some of this technology but the rest is just _irritating_ and unnecessary!

"You alright there?" He asks uncaringly.

"I thought Tyler would be here!" She sulks.

"You're in to Tyler now, huh? That's very fickle," he chuckles sarcastically.

"When you're willing to give me the time of day again we'll talk... Until then a girl has needs!"

"Excuse me," Elena takes the pourer from Stefan and hands a red cup to Evie and picks one out for herself. She fills both of them with whatever alcohol is in the can.

"Elena and Evelyn! Hi – how're you two doing?"

"_We_ are having fun, Stefan," Evie replies coolly

"You got a problem with that?" Elena adds.

"Finishing each others sentences now, huh? How adorable," he patronizes them but both girls ignore his attempt to antagonize them. They down their drinks at the same time and the Vampire frowns.

"Alright, take it easy – we both know that you're kind of a lightweight," He says to Elena with a hint of worry in his voice.

"Ha! Really? You think I'm going to let a little blood addict tell me how to drink?" Elena asks snidely before linking arms with her sister who offers her a high five. They walk off with their drinks laughing and joking. Stefan looks up from the ground to Rebekah who holds her hands up before walking away.

...

Around eight pints later both the girls are leaning against a tree yelling "DRINK, DRINK, DRINK, DRINK!" To the entertainment going on at the can. Both of them laugh and point as he does exactly what the crowd of people are wanting him to do... Elena feels her smile disappear as she notices that Stefan is leaning against the tree beside them with his cup and a smile just for her. She pretends she doesn't care and raises her cup as Evie continues to laugh at the entertainment. Elena takes another drink and Stefan mirrors this with a humoured expression on his ethereally beautiful face.

She looks around at everyone until she spots a familiar blonde with Damon – Rebekah. He is sat feeding her stupid marshmallows off of some stupid twig and he seems to be really in to it... She pouts; jealousy burns like acid.

"Calm down there, sis!" Evie comforts, "He's just carrying out the plan."

"What're you trying to say?" Elena questions her sister's comment with raised eyebrows.

"Well, you did have that look on your face," Stefan shows up behind them so suddenly that both of them jump in shock.

"What look?" Elena asks, not giving him the satisfaction of a complaint.

"Well by brother has got his flirt on and now you're... Jealous."

"Ha!" Elena scoffs, "I am _not_ jealous!"

"It's alright – be jealous, by all means... I'm sure Damon will be _thrilled_."

"I'M NOT JEALOUS, STEFAN!" She snaps with tears stinging her eyes. The old Stefan would have _never_ treated it like this – he would have held her, kissed her, told her he loves her and that he needs her. He would have made her feel guilty and she would have welcomed that because these emotions are hard enough without having the man she loves cheer her on to go for it.

"Alright," he smiles as he looks down to the ground. "It's my mistake," but from the look in his eyes she can see he is laughing at her on the inside.

"Come on, Elena. Let's go."

"Where are you going?" He asks.

"Away from the douche bag ex-boyfriend," Evie hisses icily before guiding Elena away. Stefan remembers Klaus' demand and follows the two girls. Evelyn cracks up a joke that has Elena laughing as they climb to the top of the bleachers and lay on the vacated metallic benches.

"I used to know every constellation... How did I forget them all?" Elena slurs.

"You're drunk... You both are," Stefan sighs. "You need to go home."

"Fine but I'll need help finding my car," Evie mumbles whilst she pulls herself up from where she is laid with the bleacher bars. Stefan places his hand on his waist and shakes his head.

"You're joking, right?" He scoffs in disbelief – he would never let them drive like this.

"Uh oh," Elena _tusks_.

"It's the fun police!" Evie adds.

"I thought the 'Ripper Stefan' was supposed to be the life of the party," she muses aloud.

"Alright I'm driving you home," he sighs before travelling further down the bleachers. "Come on."

Evie obliges but Elena gets an idea – once her sister is stood beside Stefan she climbs over the bars so she is hanging on to the edge of them. Stefan raises his hands and shakes his head in disbelief.

"What are you, five?" He scoffs.

"Elena, get down," she frowns worriedly whilst her sister beams at them with child-like wonder.

"Come on, are you two afraid that I'm going to fa-" she mocks them by pretending to fall and laughs as Stefan nearly strikes in to action. "Ha, ha! That was close!" Stefan nods as he tries to keep hold of his serenity. "Klaus would _not_ have been happy with you!"

"You're hilarious," he raises his hands to his face to mimic shouting it to her. Evie gasps as Elena lets go.

"Look, Stefan – no hands!" She laughs, letting herself fall back but catching the bar before anything can happen. Stefan's un-beating heart feels like it is about to jump out of his chest. Elena continues to laugh whilst Evie walks up the bleachers again.

"Elena, come down from there! You're scaring me!" She growls. Elena is about to respond but her hands slip and the smile disappears from her lips as a scream echoes through the silent football field. Stefan gasps before running at Vampire speed to where she is falling. He catches her body in his arms before she can connect with the ground. "ELENA!" Evie reaches the bars and leans over them with her heart thudding heavily in her ears... _Stefan caught her. She's alive. She's okay._

"I knew you'd catch me," she whispers softly. Stefan keeps his green eyes on her face – gasping for breath after his moment of panic. Evie runs down the bleachers and once she arrives she sees Stefan is passed out with three Vervain darts in his back.

"Are you two okay?" Ric asks the girls.

"Yeah," Evie breaths as she hugs Elena, "Now that I know _she_ didn't die!"

"I'm fine," Elena huffs before looking down at Stefan and up at the bleachers. "I'm fine," she repeats.

"You both look, uh... _Not_ sober," he frowns at her disapprovingly.

"The plan worked; that's all that matters," She shrugs, "Let's just get him out of here."

Alaric proceeds to pick up the Vampire's limp body and carry him over his shoulder. Elena fumbles with the trunk of the car until it finally pops open. Ric sets down Stefan and closes the door. Evelyn and Elena head to get in but Evie gets distracted by her ringtone. She gasps as she looks back at the bleachers.

"Shit, I left my purse! I'll be right back!" She runs to where she had left her purse and pulls out her ringing phone – Jeremy is on the line.

"_EVIE, LISTEN TO ME – YOU AND ELENA NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! A GHOST MADE A DEAL WITH THE ORIGINAL WITCH SO SHE COULD COME BACK AND SHE'S GOING TO KILL YOU AND ELENA SO KLAUS CAN'T MAKE MORE HYBRIDS!" _Jeremy's voice is shaking and loud as he shouts down the phone. Evie gasps in disbelief as she turns around to warn Ric and Elena...

"RIC!" Evie screams as she sees the fire heading towards the car. He turns around and spots the flames slithering towards him.

"ELENA!" Ric bangs on the car window as panic rushes through him. He can't let Elena die... And _Stefan, _too! _Oh God this is a nightmare! _Alaric runs around to the other side and pulls the door handle as hard as he can to no avail. "OPEN THE DOOR!"

"I CAN'T, IT WON'T OPEN!" She screams as she throws her weight in to the door in an attempt to open it. The flames begin to engulf the car and Elena coughs as the oxygen is tainted by the suffocating black smoke. She is trying not to panic as much as she wants to but adrenaline is racing through her anyway. Evelyn runs over to a box piled with old P.E equipment and pulls out a la Crosse racket and runs over to the window. She uses all of her strength to hit the window with the metal bar but it does not shatter the glass... It does not even leave a dint.

"Evie STOP!" Ric grabs the crying teenager as she goes to hit the window for the third time. The flames seem to build up just as he has dragged her away from them... She feels completely helpless. She is going to lose her sister – she wishes she was the one who had got in the car. Elena cannot even see outside anymore; she coughs and splutters as her mind starts to go blank. She can't breathe... She needs air.

"Stefan," she wheezes. "STEFAN!" She shouts louder as she climbs in to the back of the car. He opens his eyes and frowns as he looks around at the car and tries to decipher what the _Hell _is going on. He manages to kick the car trunk open but the Vervain mixed with the lack of oxygen has made him _extremely_ weak. Elena drags herself in to the back with him and Elena screams as something grabs her leg. She looks back to look for her source but there is nothing there – she should be able to _move_!

And suddenly her leg is free. She doesn't take any chances at all – Ric and Evie run to the trunk of the car and feel a small sense of relief as Elena leaps in to Ric's arms. He helps her down out of the car and he is about to run but then they remember that Stefan is still there.

"Wait, _Stefan_!" Elena yells. Ric nods and all three of them tug the Vampire out of the car and quickly drag him away from the burning car. They run as fast as they can as they carry Stefan along with them. The sound of burning flames and smashing glass ricochets through the air as the car finally explodes – flames leap out of the car and Elena covers her face as an image of them pulling her back in fills her mind. They watch the flames as they fall down from the huge leap but continue to burn... Elena and Stefan gasp in oxygen and look around at their saviours.

Neither of them could be more thankful... But, of course, Stefan would never tell them that.

...

"Give it to me; I can do it!" Elena huffs.

"No, let me do it!" He argues

"Damon, come _on-_"

"Elena!" He snaps, "You almost got barbequed – the least I can do is apply first aid."

She looks up in to his cerulean blue eyes and releases a pent-up sigh before giving in to him. He lightly brushes the dirt from the wound away from her cheek and clears away the blood.

"There," he says in a voice like velvet. She feels her muscles relax and her insides melt... Until she remembers what he got up to with Rebekah, earlier.

"You played your part of the plan really well tonight," she notes.

"Oh yeah?" A smirk ghosts on his lips.

"Yeah – you had Rebekah drooling all over you and your marshmallows," her eyes are so very accusing; Damon's un-beating heart glows. _She is jealous_.

"Ha, yeah – before she skewered me," he grimaces and Elena watches him and how he is so focused on tending to her cut. "I thought you were too drunk to notice..." He smirks softly.

"I was faking most of it," Elena shrugs as she breaks the eye contact.

"So was I," he looks down at the First Aid kit as he says it and when her eyes look up to meet his again they share unspoken words. _I'm glad your okay, I'm glad you don't like that bitch and... Well, the last are word will remain unspoken until Elena has cleared her mind._

"Are you ready to get going, Elena?" Ric asks from the doorway. She nods.

"Great work tonight, Ric. I'm sorry about the car, man. Bummer."

Evelyn watches from the doorway, too. She sees the pain that crosses Damon's features as he is ignored by his former best-friend and for the first time she feels sorry for the guy she hated since they had first spoken. His eyes meet hers and he walks over to her.

"Evie, I'm sorry if I came off like a dick..." He sighs, "I want to call a truce."

"Yeah, you did." She smirks, "But I can be a dick too so I guess a truce would be cool."

"Great," he smirks. "Oh, and thanks for doing everything you could to protect Elena, tonight."

"She's my sister, Damon... If there are a few things we have in common it is that we are both dicks _and_ that we will protect her no matter what," She smiles tiredly and he nods.

"I'm glad we're on the same page, then. Goodnight, Evelyn."

"G'night Damon," She says softly before following Alaric and Elena back to their borrowed car.

"Hey, Evelyn," She sees Ric calling her from the doorway and she looks around.

"Where's Elena?" She asks.

"Talking to Stefan," He shrugs but she can see the worry in his eyes. She heads over to him and leans against the wall.

"Are you ok, Ric?" She asks seriously... Ric laughs bitterly and rolls his eyes.

"I am still alive, I guess," he shrugs, "I guess that has to count for something."

"AHH!" Stefan's gasp/cry shocks both Ric and Evie – they turn the corner to see Stefan down on his knees and pulling out two wooden stakes from his stomach. Ric smirks and heads out whilst Evie folds her arms over her chest – her expression is full of pain as he glares up at her.

"Klaus won't win, Stefan. We both know it..." She lets the tears that she has been holding back all day fall. "I think it's the best for all of us if you stop trying to carry out his orders... Or you're going to wind up dead."

"What about you?" He seethes, "You care about him way more than I do!"

"I... I care about him a lot," she whispers sadly before her face twists in to a scowl. "But he wouldn't give his life up for me so why should I?"

She turns away and heads out of the Boarding House with her head held high and tears in her eyes. He ran – he left her here. This was brought on by a realization that she had whilst Damon was driving them to the Boarding House: Mikael could have easily come and killed everyone here. He could have killed Stefan, Damon, Rebekah, Elena, _herself_... But Klaus was much more worried about himself. He is a selfish man and spending time away from him has made her realize two things.

The first thing is that he is far too selfish to ever fully trust with anything; what kind of relationship would that be? She knows that he does have it in him to lie and pretend that he loves her but she just _knows_ that he really does... But she also knows that he is no good for her and that he _will_ use her if it means he can make those Hybrids he seems to be so obsessed over. Why should she worry about him when he is probably not worrying about her at all...? Oh, and the second thing:

She cannot live without him.


	8. Ghost World

_Another Klausless episode. *cries*. Oh well, at least he's in it next week! I had to adapt this chapter quite a bit so it's very Evie-centered and I also included some Klevie in this to make up for no Klaus moments in the last chapter. I hope you like it! :) _

...

The Illuminations Night set-up is full speed ahead as everyone in Mystic Falls gathers around to hang up lanterns and join together in celebration of the founding families. Alaric, Jeremy and Evelyn are currently stood watching Mrs Lockwood give a fine speech about the night's origins and smile as if everything is ok.

"Does Mystic Falls have a celebration thing going on, like, every single day?" Evie frowns as she looks around at everyone laughing and talking amongst themselves.

"Yeah," Ric chuckles.

"So what are we doing here, again?" Jeremy asks his guardian after Tobias Fell is introduced as the speaker for the Historical Society.

"Tobias Fell is the head of the History department: I didn't have a choice."

"Yeah, that doesn't explain what you're doing here," Jeremy replies.

"Well _I'm_ the one who can fail you if you don't help me out," His threat is only a joke – Jeremy rolls his eyes and smiles, Evie stands and listens to Tobias with interest and Elena makes her way over to the trio.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. What did I miss?" She asks whilst fumbling around in her bag.

"_Just a bunch of historical lies_," Anna's ghost replies from Jeremy's side. Of course no one _but_ Jeremy can hear what she is saying.

"Uh, you didn't miss anything," Jeremy replies.

"Have you seen Stefan or Damon today?" Evelyn asks her sister; Elena shakes her head.

"No, why? Is something wrong?"

"Nah, I was just trying to make conversation – this guy is beginning to bore me,"

Jeremy chuckles and the three of them turn to him in confusion.

"What's so funny?" Elena frowns; Jeremy points to Tobias in embarrassment and they turn back to see what the boring Historian could possibly be saying that would amuse anybody... Aside from Ric who really does seem interested. No one sees that Jeremy is holding hands with Anna because to everybody else she is not even there.

Soon after the speech is over the three teens go to play their part and hang up some lanterns – Evelyn and Elena work as a team and both of them find comfort and relief in forgetting about their many problems, right now. They hang up about fifteen lanterns before Alaric calls and asks them to meet him for a drink at the Grill.

"Hey guys," Evelyn calls as she sits beside Ric and Elena sits beside Jeremy.

"Hi girls, having fun?" Alaric asks.

"Sure, I guess... Oh my _god_!" Evie gasps before turning to Ric with wide eyes, "_you_ are drinking a non-alcoholic drink?"

"Ha, ha," Ric chimes, "You're hilarious."

"Oh, Jer I need your help with something," Elena gasps before reaching in to her bag and pulling out a dark brown old looking book.

"What's up?"

"I've been going through Stefan's old journals and every single time he's gone off the rails in the past his best friend, Lexi, has been the one to bring him back."

"That's great! Where is she now?" Evie questions.

"She's dead," Jeremy replies morosely; Evie hangs her head and decides to stop asking questions, "And _you_ want me to try to reach her, don't you?"

"I thought if I knew how she did it then maybe I could help him," Elena explains with a desperate look in her chocolate brown eyes.

"Look, I don't even know if she's on the Other Side."

"Is that what it's called?" Elena's interest is piqued by this.

"Well that's what Anna calls it; there's not like an official brochure or anything," He shrugs.

"So what is it? Like, some sort of Supernatural purgatory?" Ric muses.

"Anna said it's like been here with all of us but we can't see her or hear her; she can't interact with anyone... She's all alone," Jeremy's expression becomes sad as his heart constricts in his chest. He hates to think that she doesn't have anybody. His sad eyes look over to where she is stood beside Evelyn's chair and she offers him a sad smile.

"Vicki could interact – she blew up my car," Ric mumbles in annoyance.

"Vicki had help from a Witch on the Other Side, Anna... She's doing this all by herself," Jeremy seems so sure about it but Anna's smile falls and she has to look away from him.

"I'm just saying maybe we learned our lesson about summoning dead people," Ric speaks up controversially. Elena meets his eyes with an almost angry expression.

"So do you think it's possible to contact Lexi?" Evie speaks up after a moment of tense silence, she looks at Jeremy who seems to be staring off in to space. He jumps out of his daze and sighs.

"I don't know; I didn't have an emotional connection with her... I never even met her."

"Can we just drop it, please?" Alaric doesn't meet anyone's gaze as he speaks – he takes a drink from his cola instead.

"No I _can't_ drop it, Ric; I don't know what else to do!" Elena snaps.

"Don't you think we have a few too many dead Vampires in our past to be sitting here _thinking_ of them watching us!" Ric snaps back – everyone remains silent for a moment as understanding crosses their mind; he does have a point. It's not only Vampires, though – _many_ people have died because of all of this... There may be a _lot_ of unquiet spirits walking the streets of Mystic Falls.

"_I don't think all Supernatural spirits go to the Other Side,_" Anna explains for Jeremy's hearing only. Elena notices that he is staring in to the space beside Evie... But he looks like he is staring at _someone_, "_I think some of them find peace._"

"Is Anna here right now?" Elena asks her brother/cousin angrily.

"_Don't tell her I'm here!_" Anna begs, "_She won't like it._"

"No... I'm going to go check my work schedule," Jeremy mumbles before standing up and heading inside – he doesn't like lying to them and he can't take the suspicious looks he is receiving anymore; besides, he needs to speak to Anna without people thinking he has an imaginary friend or something.

"She was so here," Evie shudders as she looks at the space beside her – she reaches her hand out but it meets nothing but air; a shrug from her part ends the suspicions. For now.

"Hey guys!" Stefan's voice has them all cursing internally as he takes a seat beside Elena, "Who forgot to invite me to the family summit?" He glances at all of them expectantly but they just glare at him. Stefan reaches to the old book curiously and Elena gasps before blushing – _will 'Ripper Stefan' be mad about this? _"Oh wow... All these words – I forgot how much I used to _care_," He makes the word sound disgusting as he frowns.

"I didn't," Elena replies proudly. Stefan looks up at her and meets her chocolate brown eyes as if to intimidate her; she doesn't look away.

"You know, Elena, it's _probably_ best that you don't torture yourself with memories from the past... It's best we both just _move on_ and accept things as they are," He explains without any emotion.

"You don't have to be here, Stefan," Ric speaks up as he notices Elena is beginning to look hurt.

"You know what, Alaric? You're right, I don't _but_ Elena and Evie are both here and I look out for these two; besides there is going to be a lot of people _everywhere_ tonight: so there's going to be _lots_ to eat!" He watches the horror and disgust cross their faces before laughing, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Loosen up!" He rolls his eyes before getting up and heading off. Evelyn contemplates something she has thought about doing a lot these past few days... She has put it off because she didn't want to upset anybody but she is beginning to worry. She gets lost in thought as Elena sighs and turns to Alaric.

"I can't drop it, Ric."

"I have to talk to him," Evie speaks with determination as she runs after Stefan. She ignores the confused calling of her name whilst she catches up with the Vampire who stopped once he heard her heavy footfalls approaching.

"So now I'm okay to talk to?" He smirks.

"Not you, Stefan... Klaus; I _need_ to know if you've spoken to Klaus at all," She admits very guiltily. The Ripper's smirk seems to widen as he looks over at Elena and Alaric who are watching them with confused expressions.

"I'm not sure it's good that I answer that," He teases.

"Stefan _please_... Has he called you?" She presses the issue and he sighs before pulling out his iPhone 4.

"Yes, he called... He told me to call him back so I'll be nice _just this once_ and let you do it..." He leans in and whispers in her ear, "But I'm not very good at keeping secrets."

"Don't be such a dick," She snaps before pressing the call button and waiting as the phone dials. Her stomach churns with a mixture of guilt and anticipation – and fear – whilst she waits for someone to pick up on the other end. _So much for me not caring about his life,_ she thinks bitterly to herself, _I guess I can't pretend to be as selfish as him after all._

"_Stefan! How're my doppelgangers?_"

"Klaus," Evelyn smiles brightly as she hears that soft, teasing yet beautiful tone on the other end of the line.

"_Evie_," The Hybrid fights back a smile as he lounges back in his chair, "_I didn't expect you to ring me; I thought you would've hated me by now._"

"I do – you're the biggest ass in the world," She announces – he merely chuckles at her words, "But I guess I miss you."

Klaus fights off his initial response and inhales deeply to regain some composure, "_Well it won't be long until I return for you_," He reassures her.

"No, don't take me away again!" She begs.

"_What were you expecting? Do you want me to come and live in Mystic Falls and become best friends with your little group?"_ Klaus laughs, "_That's not my style, sweetheart – besides, I have Hybrids to create – speaking of those how is Tyler?_"

"Can't we talk about something other than supernatural crap for five minutes?" She growls.

"_Well what did you expect me to talk about?_" He asks as confusion takes over his joking nature.

"I don't know... I guess I thought maybe you'd care a little more. I guess I was _wrong_," she hangs up and attempts to swallow the lump stuck in her throat. Stefan takes his phone and inhales sharply.

"Well, I best be going. See ya!" He hollers before walking away – she doesn't even bother to look where he is going.

Her tear-filled brown eyes meet Elena's and she knows her sister will know _exactly_ who she was talking too... Guilt and disappointment has the doppelganger heading straight to her car and heading home.

...

Bonnie and Caroline are currently in the abandoned house where the one-hundred Witches had been burned around 143 years ago. Caroline is watching her friend uneasily whilst she sits on her knees with the grimoire in front of her and chants unfamiliar words. Gusts of wind have began to swirl through the air – tearing cobwebs from their spiders choice of place and making the flames on the candles flicker and tilt at an angle. The ancient chandeliers _clink_ together; the withering, damp, decomposing room is fairly dark – all of this combined has Caroline very freaked out.

"Bonnie I don't like this!" Caroline admits out loud as she looks at everything that is moving around in the room. Her chanting seems to get louder and it has the Vampire, ironically, afraid; "Bonnie!" She whimpers whilst her friends chanting increases along with the wind.

Just when Caroline thinks she is about to scream the chanting and the wind and _everything_ seems to stop... And slow down. Bonnie stopped because she can now feel _someone holding her hands!_ Her eyes shoot open and shock crosses her features whilst she meets the familiar brown eyes of her Grandma...

"Oh my God," Caroline gasps, "Is that your..."

"Grams?" Bonnie chokes; Sheila smiles at her Granddaughter affectionately whilst she clings on to her hands. She cannot speak – she is so happy that she cannot find any words.

...

Jeremy and Anna pull apart as the doors to the bathroom in the Grill open to reveal Elena. She stops and then her body goes rigid as she sees... Anna. She _sees_ Anna!

"Anna?" Elena shrieks in disbelief as her whole face pales. Anna's eyes fill with fear and dread as she registers that Elena can actually see her, now... _This can't be happening_!

...

The Ripper is walking down the streets of Mystic Falls with a cocky swagger. He looks in to a car to check his reflection in the dark-tinted windows and spots a blonde looking at him through the reflection from the shimmering metal frame. He freezes and turns his head to the side as he realizes just who the familiar blonde is.

"Lexi?" He takes a step back to look over the woman again. She smirks at her best friends shocked expression.

...

Damon has explained everything he needed to explain to Ric about why he thinks that Mason Lockwood's ghost is haunting him. To be honest the raven-haired Vampire is extremely happy that his _former_ best friend even cares enough to do that. He goes to reach for his drink when someone else reaches down and takes it. He looks up to give them a piece of his mind when...

"Mason?" Ric hisses.

"_God_ I've missed whiskey!" The ghost sighs in relief before downing the auburn liquid in one go. Damon ponders silently as to _how the hell he can see Mason's ghost_ and then cries out as the glass is suddenly smashed over his forehead.

"OW!" He curses before turning to a _very_ shocked Alaric, "I told ya!"

...

Evelyn is still sat with her back to the front door – she has been sat like this ever since she got home. As soon as she had the door closed and the rest of the world became locked out of her life she began to cry harder than she has ever cried before. Her life is _so_ messed up! Her Parents are dead, she is a doppelganger and her blood has to be used for her love interests selfish needs, there is danger wherever she turns, her love interest doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself...

She wants her Dad so much right now. If only she could speak to him one more time – she would hug him and tell him how much she loves him and then ask him about _everything_ that he never bothered to explain to her whilst he was still alive.

"I miss you so much, Daddy," She sobs brokenly.

"I miss you too; I wish I could _do_ something."

Evelyn's whole body goes rigid before she immediately jumps to the conclusion that she has _lost it_! She looks up and her doe-like eyes widen in disbelief as she sees that her Dad is stood right in front of her. She wipes away her tears and sighs.

"Okay I've gone insane – all of this stuff has made me lose my mind!" She stands up and walks in a circle around her seemingly paralysed Father. _Can she hear me?_

"Evelyn... Evie, sweetie, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Dad. I can hear you and that is why I have officially gone _insane_! I'm hallucinating!" She whimpers.

"Evelyn you're not hallucinating," His shocked eyes fill with tears as he begins to laugh. He reaches out for her and pulls her in to the tightest hug imaginable.

"D-Dad?" She squeaks as she feels his strong, firm arms wrap around her. "DAD!" Evelyn finally realizes that this is real – her Dad is _really_ here and she can see him and feel him. Both of them seem to burst in to tears as they cling on to the other desperately. He strokes her wavy hair and _shushes_ her softly whilst she sobs and cries in to his shirt. "Dad you're here! You're really here! How the hell are you here?" She asks in between sobs.

"I've been here all along, baby. I've been watching over you since the day I died; I watched you cry over me for months... It broke my heart. I have hated myself ever since!"

"Why did you leave me?" She yells, "Why!"

"I traded my life for Elena's, Evie! You know that if I didn't die then Elena would have and then Klaus would definitely have killed you by now!" He justifies his actions and Evie realizes that what he did was actually a good thing in the long run. He gave his life to protect his children.

"Elena died in the ritual... She came back to life because of you. Klaus... He's done so much bad and here I am trying to care for him."

"You cannot lie to yourself or anybody else, Evelyn. You _do_ care for him," She looks up – expecting to see disapproval – but all she sees is adoration.

"You're not disappointed in me?" She questions uncertainly. He _must_ be mad! He gave up his life to protect her from that man and she repays him by falling for him?

"Far from it!" He smiles that wrinkle-smile of his and Evie feels herself smile back. She really has missed that smile, "Having Klaus care for you may just save your life!"

"But what about Elena?" She frowns worriedly, "_If_ Klaus really does care about me then he will be thriving off of the fact that Elena will be just as useful as I am! He'll kill her and keep me and I'd rather be the one dying than be the reason why she could die!"

"Evelyn... I don't know what to say," John releases his daughter and shrugs, "What I do want to say is how _proud_ of you I am; no, don't roll your eyes because it's _true_! Yes your... Your _Moments_ with Klaus have shocked me but I never expected you to handle all of this as well as you have."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She whispers – the tears returning to her eyes, "Why couldn't you have taught me about all of this! You say I'm _handling it? _Dad, I feel like I could break down and just cry for the rest of my probably short life because I can't... I can't handle _any _of this!" She is sobbing again, "Vampires, Witches, Werewolves, Hybrids, _Ghosts... _It's all too much to take in and I've had to _try_ and adapt to it as best as I can but I don't know how much more I can take."

"Calm down, honey," Jonathan Gilbert soothes her – reaching out to pull her in to a gentle hug and stroke her hair from her face, "Please don't be angry with me; I didn't tell you because I thought that maybe I was protecting you. I have done so much to deserve your anger and hate but I had your well being in mind the whole time... I just wish I had been able to protect Elena like I did you."

"You tried your best," Evelyn notes. "I'm presuming it was you who split us up?" John nods and Evie is surprised to find that she is not upset anymore. She forgives him because, at the end of the day, he was only trying to protect her... She wishes that he had been successful. She wishes that she could go back to the days where she would come home from a normal day at school to see him sat there with one of those old journals and a cup of coffee ready for her. The memory almost has her crying again. "Why didn't you take Elena in, too?"

"Because I couldn't... Grayson and Miranda originally had the pair of you – I took you because I needed at least one of you; of course I never knew that it would play out so tragically. I just thought that I would have a daughter and they would get over your disappearance and be grateful that they had Elena."

Evelyn takes a moment to digest this information – she had originally belonged to her Uncle and Aunt but her Dad took her away – illegally – and raised her without her knowing any members of her family besides Jenna.

"Did you know everything? About the Vampires, Werewolves and Hybrids?"

"I knew as much as I could find; nobody trusted me around here. They thought I was trouble but I proved to be useful in the end," John frowns bitterly.

"I trusted you – I still do. I could sit here and question every single one of your actions and their consequences but you did whatever you could to protect me from this information... Truthfully I'm glad that you had managed to keep it from me for so long – I wish I hadn't been so damn curious."

"No, don't say that," John shakes his head, "Evelyn you may think that you cannot take any of this but you are so much stronger than what you give yourself credit for! _Don't_ give up because there are so many people that need you! Elena needs you, Jeremy needs you and Klaus needs you!"

"Klaus doesn't care about me, Dad! He never has and he never will!"

"I was there when you hugged him for the first time. It was in Tennessee after that trip to the Smokey Mountains; he kidnapped you and I remember crying for hours because I was _so scared_ that he was going to kill you. I could tell you were confused when you woke up in the bed... Am I right?"

"Yeah, I was," She recalls, "What does this have to do with anything."

"Do you want to know what he did? Why I am so sure that you could change him?" John stares deeply in to his daughter's eyes and she nods slowly.

"Yes!"

"Stefan left to feed and Klaus watched you for a while... He had such a strange expression on his face; I know it will sound odd to you to just stand and watch someone but when you're a ghost there is nothing better to do. I could tell that he was upset but I could also tell that he felt something for you – I thought that a Vampire couldn't feel but from his mannerisms I could see otherwise. After a while he carried you to the bed, tucked you under the sheets and kissed your forehead and before he went to sleep he told you that he loved you."

Evie stares in to space blankly whilst she tries to picture everything that her Dad is saying to her; as soon as he is done she shakes her head.

"No way – Klaus would never do that. He's incapable of mushy, romantic stuff!"

"He can't be that incapable if I watched him act it out for half an hour!"

"Oh my God," She rakes a hand through her hair and blinks in disbelief, "I can't... But... He said he loved me?"

"He told you that he loves you a few days ago! I am _more_ than sure that a thousand-year-old Vampire would not lie about something like that unless they were trying to get an easy prey and if you were classed as prey you would be dead by now!"

"I'm not dead because he needs my blood," She replies. "Dad – stop, okay? I appreciate all of this; I really do, but... It's weird. You're defending him but he's the reason you're dead right now."

"I don't blame him," John frowns and shakes his head. "I chose to die – I didn't have to. I blame Damon for feeding her his blood before the sacrifice so that Elena would come back as a Vampire."

"He did that?" Evie gasps in disbelief.

"Yes... Do you see why I had to die, now?"

"You never _had_ to die... But I do _understand_ why you did it. Letting Elena become a Vampire wasn't an option; she doesn't _want_ to be a Vampire. I would have done the same thing," She smiles softly at her Dad. "I forgive you for it."

"Thank you," He grins.

"So... Have you got anything else to tell me?" Evie asks, "We can have a Daddy-Daughter day... Just like old times."

"I do," He nods sternly. "I want to tell you about the Gilbert journals and what I have learnt about the doppelganger curse since I became a ghost."

...

Four hours later Evelyn is now completely up to speed on _everything_ – well by everything I mean Vampires, Werewolves and the past of Mystic Falls. Basically she now knows about what has been going on in Mystic Falls this past year involving the Supernatural world. Damon's killing sprees, Tomb Vampires, Katherine cutting off John's fingers and all... And just what the Witches did when they played around with the doppelganger curse; something that she cannot wait to share with Elena.

In fact Elena is – well, _was_ – the person she was looking for until she saw the ambulance and hysterical people been so humane about some accident. She immediately knows that someone is probably dead and looks around for a familiar face; not been too upset that she missed the lighting of the illuminations. She spots Elena and quickly runs over to her.

"Elena what's going on?" She pants; running around has tired her out.

"I want to know the same thing; come on," She gestures for Evie to follow her and that is exactly what she does – they soon find Jeremy and head over to him, "Jeremy what happened?"

"The Tomb Vampires are seeking the revenge they didn't get whilst they were alive – they killed Tobias Fell and hung him up in a tree and they're going to start picking us all off one-by-one! Bonnie and Caroline are at Damon's but they can't find the necklace anywhere... If we don't find it then they're going to kill the founding families. We think somebody may have taken the necklace..."

"We're a founding family," Evie realizes – Elena nods before turning back to Jeremy.

"Where is Anna now?" Elena demands.

"I don't know, okay, I don't even know for sure if she took the necklace!"

"She's the only person who heard us talking about it – of _course_ she took it," Elena explains as if it is completely obvious.

"Okay - we have to get whatever necklace you're talking about back, we have to destroy it and then... Then we _have_ to close the door to the Other Side." Evelyn plans this out sadly; she really doesn't want to lose her Dad again but she knows that her Dad would rather them close the door than have the Tomb Vampires kill all of his friends.

"I know, but..."

"But _what_? WHAT Jer?" Elena snaps.

"I can _touch_ her, Elena... I can kiss her again and I know it's wrong and I _know_ that I shouldn't feel this way but I do! I... I love her; I've always loved _her_."

"But it's not real... She's dead. She's gone and everything that you're holding on to is n the past, Jer! Are you going to love a ghost for the rest of your life?"

Evelyn wants to interrupt; she wants to tell Jeremy that despite her irritation at him for treating Bonnie like this – she understands. She feels the exact same way; she can hug and talk to her Dad again; she just spent an entire afternoon with him and it felt amazing to have something like that when she thought she was never going to see him again... But the people they are holding on to have already been mourned. They have to move on – they've had time that they never should have really had in the first place and now they have to pay for that. Evie nudges Elena as she notices a ghost appear from nowhere in the distance. She immediately knows that it's Anna.

"This is the beginning of his life, Anna... You're just holding him back – you know that," Elena glares at the heartbroken looking girl who nods slowly. She lifts her hand up to reveal the familiar necklace that Elena used to wear around her neck. Everyone looks down at it – Elena feels relieved, Jeremy feels as heartbroken as Anna and Evelyn just feels accepting.

"Call Bonnie," Elena orders Jeremy. "Tell her that you have the necklace... Tell her to send the ghosts away." Jeremy nods and goes to take the necklace from Anna and call his girlfriend. Elena turns to Evie once he has gone to say something but she stops dead in her tracks as she sees John stood beside her.

"Hey, Elena," He smiles proudly.

"John," For what feels like the first time ever Elena actually smiles at her Dad. "I should've known you'd show up."

"How couldn't I?" He asks with tear-filled eyes, "I never thought I'd see you two together... I'm glad that you found each other."

"Me too," Elena smiles as she throws an arm around her sister who smiles back.

"Dad told me everything; I'm no longer way behind on the strange happenings in Mystic Falls," Evie beams and Elena laughs.

"That's good to know... I'm glad you managed to spend some time together."

"It's been great to finally get the well-needed closure," Evie nods. "But I know that you can't stay, Dad. It's too dangerous."

"I know, honey," He nods with a sad smile. "I may just find peace now that I have got closure of my own..." He ponders the thought for a moment before shaking his head and turning to Elena, "Well I _almost_ do. Elena _stop_ trying to make your sister feel guilty about her relationship with Klaus... He loves her and I am sure that gives her leverage. It may just save her life."

"I never thought of it like that," Elena gasps as she realizes he is right, "You might stand a chance!"

"If you're dying then so am I," Evie grinds her teeth. "And if Klaus did kill you then I'd kill him myself – even if I do love him."

Elena's eyes widen as she stares at her sister with a dumbfounded expression; even John seems to do a double take and Evie gulps as she realizes _just_ what she said... It's insane, impossible, stupid, strange, odd and unbelievable... But true. She loves him; she'd be lying if she said she loves everything about him but if she can worry about him despite all the pain he has caused her then what other explanation is there?

"I won't give you a hard time... But don't let your emotions get in the way. Klaus loving you may be leverage but you loving him may knock you back down to square one again," Elena warns her sister with cold brown eyes.

"I know," Evie nods. "I'll just have to try and keep my emotions in check."

...

Evelyn knows that Bonnie has sent the ghosts away plainly because nothing else has happened. She said her goodbyes to her Dad and she has just watched both her Dad and Lexi disappear – the door has been closed. Elena and Evie share a tearful glance before Elena loses it and rushes over to her sister. Neither of them cries – they just hold on to each other because although every day keeps dealing them terrible ordeals they still manage to make it through. They still have their sister no matter what; they find comfort in that.

"So what're you going to do? Stand there and hug each other forever – and wait for me to dry out?" Stefan croaks; the girls pull apart and Elena sighs heavily as she looks over at his sweaty and tired body.

"No, we're going to go home, take care of my brother, be a friend to Bonnie and everything else that I have to do," Elena explains.

"Good for you – I was wondering when you were going to give up," The Ripper muses, "Lexi gave you enough of a glimpse into your tragic future."

"You're insane if you think that we've given up!" Evie scoffs, "We've survived way too much crap to give up now, Mr. Ripper!" Elena rolls her eyes before turning to look in to Stefan's eyes... All light-heartedness disappears.

"I still have hope," Elena murmurs. "But there is nothing that I can do until you get yours back." Stefan turns away from her in a bored fashion but she cups his face in her hands and tilts his face back so that she can stare in to his eyes, "Hey – _you can break through this_... Fight for it – feel something; _anything Stefan_... Because if you don't you're going to lose me forever... I won't love a ghost for the rest of my life."

Stefan's phone begins to buzz rather obnoxiously from the ground at that moment in time. Elena looks down and Evie moves closer – as soon as she sees the name flashing on the screen she picks it up and slides the bar along to answer it.

"_Stefan I need to speak to Evie._"

"It is Evie," She whispers.

"_Oh... Well, I... Hey,_" He mumbles in a baffled haze – he really wasn't expecting her to be the one to answer. He hasn't really thought this through.

"Klaus I _need_ you to know something before you eventually come back to Mystic Falls and kill me and my sister."

"_And what would that be?_" He ponders aloud; discovering his irritating humour again.

"That I love you."

The Lockwood cellar remains silent as the dial tone signals that the caller has hung up on the other end of the line. Evelyn pulls the phone away from her ear and looks down it in shock and sadness; Elena tows her out of the room and takes Stefan's phone with them.

"Give it time – if he loves you then he'll tell you eventually."

"But that's just it," Evie whispers, "He already has!"

...

_please review? 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' took me all of Saturday to write & I only got 3 reviews for it :(_


	9. Ordinary People

Everyone in Mystic Falls is beyond grateful that it is the weekend. Evelyn has just finished her daily routine of getting up at nine thirty, showering and getting ready. She is wearing her favourite white skinny jeans and black graphic t-shirt – she is, oddly enough, in a very good mood this morning. The doppelganger opens her door and takes a deep breath before sliding down the banister... If you asked her why she would not be able to respond with anything that makes her seem sane.

"Hey Jeremy!" Evie greets her cousin with a sweet smile; Jeremy drops his toast on to his plate and gawps at her. She grows slightly uneasy, "Uh, what's up?"

"You... You are being _nice_ to me?" He is acting as if the concept of anyone being nice to him is completely foreign. Evelyn frowns.

"Jeremy I'm not going to be horrible to you. So you kissed Anna... It was wrong and I think you know that – _anyway_, have you seen Elena? We are supposed to be meeting Caroline and Bonnie to go shopping for our Homecoming dresses today."

"She left with Ric at seven, or at least I _think_ it was seven."

"What for?" Evie pries to earn a shrug from Jeremy.

"I don't know... But he did seem pretty weird last night."

"Weird _how_?"

"He was going through his camera all the time. I should've asked; oh well."

Evelyn glances over at the toaster and bread sat on the counter and pouts as her tummy growls – she is hungry but she is even hungrier to know what her sister is up to. Evelyn heads back upstairs and grabs some black sneakers and a leather jacket along with her car keys (Damon leant her a _very_ nice black Ferrari he grew tired of a couple of years ago) before driving to the Boarding House.

The Boarding House really is stunning – it is built from faded red bricks and is held up by wooden pillars. Trees and various other wildlife surround the very _large_ home; she wants a house like this, someday. The brunette climbs out of her sleek car and closes the door behind her – hugging her jacket closer to her body as she makes her way to the door. Once she reaches it she opens the slightly creaky door and heads inside.

"Damon, are you home?"

No answer... But she feels the odd sensation of been watched. She spins on her heels to look out of the door but there is no one there. Her heart begins thumping slightly faster whilst she begins walking back towards where she entered. She turns around one more time to check if there really is anyone to be seen and almost shrieks as her eyes meet a pretty blonde dressed in black shorts, a blue vest top, a black jacket and a pair of sneakers.

"Snooping around on other people's property is not very nice," Rebekah chimes snidely, folding her arms over her chest as she does. "What are you doing here? Which one are you?"

"The one you hate," She smirks as she folds her arms, too.

"Well I hate you both but your mannerisms gave you away, Evelyn," the Original picks up her gym bag.

"You got me," Evie holds up her hands sarcastically before frowning, "Is Damon around?"

"No. I haven't seen him since last night... Or Stefan for a while. Hmmm," She frowns, "Where is that boy?"

"Locked up where you won't find him," She replies innocently – once Rebekah's eyebrows raise at her she sighs, "Elena is trying to bring his humanity back."

"Of course – well, let her. Once he acts human again he may start been nicer to me. Now, if you will excuse me _I_ have cheerleading practice."

"On a Saturday?" Evie makes a disgusted face, "Screw that – I'm not cheerleading if it takes up my Saturday's."

"So be it – now goodbye."

And just like that Barbie-Klaus is gone.

Evelyn sighs in annoyance before slamming the Salvatore Boarding House door and stomping back to her car – ok; now she can't find Damon she is going to call them. She picks up her iPhone and proceeds to try and contact Damon but he doesn't answer. She tries Elena.

"_Hey, Evie – I can't come dress shopping today._"

"Figures," She scoffs, "Where the Hell are you and Damon and Alaric!" She does not ask for the information; she demands it.

"Look, I'll explain – get over to Alaric's apartment."

"Elena I don't know where his apartment is!" She snaps.

"Oh, yeah. Where are you?"

"At the Boarding House."

"I'll get Damon to pick you up."

...

"I can't believe this..."

Evelyn strokes her hand over the picture of the Vampire symbol; her usually olive-toned skin is almost unnaturally pale as her wide chocolate eyes jump from picture-to-picture.

"You should go down and see it – it's pretty awesome," Ric grins. Of course he is enjoying this; he _is_ a History-junkie.

"No... I don't want _any_ part in this," She shakes her head furiously. Everyone's eyes seem to land on her as she stares at the pictures in fright.

"Evie, what's wrong?" Elena murmurs cautiously.

"This isn't _right_! Vikings? Klaus... He was a _Viking_! _GROSS_!"

"Well, you didn't care about his age when you were _kissing him_," Damon growls – partially in defence. "Anyway, I'm old – you're not grossed out by me."

"You're more or less two-hundred, I can deal with that – Granddad," Despite the ill tone to Evelyn's face she smirks slightly.

"That's _great-great _Granddad, to you!" Damon smirks back before plucking the Vampire picture from her fingers. Evelyn looks down at the picture once more and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, so I over-reacted about the whole age thing."

"Not really," Damon rolls his eyes. "Finding out that your 'true love' is over one-thousand years old can be a little creepy. Heck, that'd creep anyone out – Vampire or Human or Witch."

"I never claimed that he was my 'true love', Damon." Evie scoffs.

"But you did say you love him... How can you possibly love him, Evelyn? He's no good for you – he is a _monster_ and you don't know anything about him!"

Evie's humour disappears as she meets Alaric's accusing gaze. Pain stabs her through the heart like a knife; Ric realizes her mood shift and he sighs.

"Evie, wait-"

The slamming of the apartment door echoes through the room. Her sobs can be heard as she runs down the corridor.

"Good job," Damon pats Alaric on the back sarcastically.

"Shut up, Damon," Ric hisses – his eyes are still on the door.

"Anyway – back to the conversation at hand. We know that Mikael is the Original Father... Anything else?"

"Let's train you up, Buffy. We can converse while we fight," The Salvatore winks at Elena who rolls her eyes but nods anyway.

"Right – these images tell a story..."

...

Rebekah shrugs before doing a cartwheel and various other flips to please her fellow cheerleaders and to show off her Vampire agility. Evelyn's sarcasm has been lost amongst her emotions; she _needs_ to know about Klaus' past. Alaric's words hit her hard – what was worse is that _he was right_! She knows _nothing_ about Klaus and his past. Her only door to those locked up memories is Rebekah; so here she is. The Original stops and her shoulders drop as she meets the familiar brown eyes she has come to hate.

"You – goodie," She sneers – noticing that she looks upset.

"I was hoping we could talk?" Evie asks in a small, croaky voice. Her whole demeanour screams _I'm so upset right now. _

"About what?" Rebekah asks a little less harshly; the sarcastic doppelganger only gets upset when her brother is involved. "Klaus? Don't worry, he'll come back soon enough – maybe you should take a page out of my book and stop thinking about him until he returns."

"Actually I'd rather talk about this," Evelyn pulls the folded picture from her pocket and gently unfolds it to reveal the carving of Rebekah's name in the cave. Her icy blue eyes fall to see what the object is and her whole body changes – _how did she get this?_ "I'm curious about your past, Rebekah. I don't want anything else from you. Please?"

"I should get back to the girls," She snaps. "Homecoming is right around the corner."

"I don't want Mikael to be revived either, you know." Evelyn takes a deep, shaky breath. "But they know about him – and they'll do it. Maybe I'll just ask him."

Rebekah freezes, her pale face becomes paler as her breath seems to freeze in her throat. She has not felt this kind of fear for a long, _long_ time – it consumes her but she _has_ to get a hold of herself. She takes a few deep, shaky breaths before turning back to the doppelganger with a smile.

"You're bluffing," She laughs. "You don't know where he is – no one does."

"So who's rotting in that old cemetery in Charlotte?" Evelyn asks coolly. Rebekah becomes completely serious as the fear consumes her again; pulling her in to its icy embrace and squeezing. She feels as if she is stuck in some sort of bubble that she cannot break out of and it is growing smaller. She has to break out of it – she has to make them realize how foolish awakening him would be!

"If you wake Mikael we are _all_ doomed!" Evelyn feels ice run up her own spine at the terrified look in the usually cool and calculated Vampire's eyes. She means business, right now. She has never looked genuine at all – not until this moment.

"Well then _tell me_!" Evie orders, some of her own fear seeps in to her speech.

"Why do you want to know?" Rebekah asks; distrusting the teenager.

"Because I feel like I love your brother and I don't know anything about him! Also because their seriously considering this and I'm scared for his life!"

Rebekah keeps her eyes locked on Evelyn's... For the first time ever she feels herself relating to her. This girl is here and she is caring for the man... The _monster_ her brother has become. She is the definition of insanity; she is impulsive and caring and she is trying t help the enemy... But the blonde cannot deal with the memories bubbling to the surface.

"I have go get back to the girls."

Evelyn feels her hope diminish as tears well in her eyes, once more. She cannot continue like this – she _needs_ to know who Klaus is and what he did to piss off this Hunter. She is desperate for some kind of evidence that she can bring to her friends to stop them from awakening him... Not for their safety – for Klaus'. She feels extremely guilty for this and, yes, it is a perk that her new found friends will be protected... But when she says she loves Klaus she feels like she means it but she _has_ to know who the human man inside of him is before making her decision.

...

"Can you see that picture of Rebekah's name anywhere?" Elena asks casually whilst flicking through the various names of each Original. "It's not here."

"It's probably lost in this train wreck," Ric gestures to the whole table full of pictures and Elena smiles.

"You could've organized them a little better," She giggles.

"But I didn't," He grins. The sound of the front door opening startles the pair of them as they turn away from the various script captures and turn to the door. Evelyn walks through and unfolds the photo of Rebekah's name.

"I came to bring your photo back," She says blankly to Alaric.

"Thanks," He murmurs awkwardly before taking the picture. Evelyn looks up at him once it has been taken from her grasp.

"What were you doing with it?" Elena frowns.

"I want to look at both sides of the story, Elena. Something _none_ of you have even tried to do."

"Look, Evelyn – I'm sorry for upsetting you but there is _no need_ to be like that; Elena has done nothing wrong!" Alaric defends.

"No, _I_ have – it's me, isn't it? I can see it, Rick, none of you _trust me_! You're all hiding something from me and I'm tired of sitting around and been told things that I'm allowed to know. If that's how you all work then I'm out – consider me universal because I couldn't stand to see _any_ of you get hurt... And that includes Klaus!"

Evelyn looks down at her cell phone as it chimes to signal that she has a new message. Her angry brown eyes scan the writing of 'Come over for a chat. Rebekah' and smiles successfully before looking up at the horrified expressions on their faces.

"Now, if you'll excuse me I have a meeting to attend. Good luck figuring out those stupid squiggles – I've got something better."

"Evie, wait – what is it?" Elena asks.

"Why should I tell you?"

"I hate keeping things from you but I _have too_! You'll try to stop it and we can't have you doing that!"

"Keep whatever the fuck you want from me but don't expect me to tell you anything, either! You've underestimated just how smart _I_ can be – but I think you know that, already. Goodbye, _sister_."

The drive to the Boarding House is agonising. Evelyn feels so strong yet so weak – tears of both guilt and anger are mixed together whilst she sobs silently to herself. The drops of water blur her vision slightly but she manages to get her panther-like car to her destination in one piece. She stays in the car for a moment and forces to stop herself from thinking about how stupid she is being – pushing away all of the people who care about her to protect someone she barely knows; someone who may not really care about her at all. She cannot allow herself to think about what will happen if Klaus' supposed love for her is a lie – she climbs out of the car and holds her head high whilst she lets herself in to the Boarding House once more.

Music is blaring through the sound system located in the parlour – the obnoxious song hurts Evelyn's already throbbing head but she wills herself to ignore it. She scans the area and then gasps as Rebekah appears with a glass of white wine in hand.

"Hey, what's up?" She smiles sweetly whilst placing the glass on a side table.

"_You_ invited _me_ over to talk," Evie reminds Rebekah with raised eyebrows.

"Alright girls! Come in," She orders and suddenly five girls are stepping in to the room with different dresses on. They are all beautiful – the first is a sleek midnight blue, the second a girly red, the third is a frilly green, the fourth is a satin crimson red and the final two are slim, strapless greens – one is like satin and the other is plain.

"You compelled your own runway show? Figures," Evelyn manages to scoff before leaning against the wall with her arms folded and eyebrows raised.

"I need a Homecoming dress," She shrugs before pointing to them. "Now pick one."

"For me or for you?" Evelyn decides to pay along as she admires each dress.

"Well I guess you can have one of them. Got one in mind?" She asks.

"Yeah, for you the red. Crimson suits you best," Rebekah laughs lightly whilst Evie smirks. "For me... that midnight blue one."

"Lovely," She compliments. "Go away – you remember nothing."

The girls all nod; the glassy, blank look in their eyes sends chills down Evie's spine. The group all walks away and Evelyn feels her mind go along with them – _how does compulsion work?_ _Why do they use it so frequently?_

"So – you're here to speak with me. What is it that you want to know?"

"We could start with this Hunter and why he is after you."

Rebekah is in front of Evelyn in seconds, her fangs elongate and her eyes flash red as she hisses. Evie does not jump – she is as stubborn as her sister. They continue to keep a tension-filled eye contact before Rebekah decides to speak up.

"You will learn what I want you to learn... Is that clear?"

Evie nods; if she is going to get on Rebekah's good side she may as well go along with her wishes.

...

"So, I heard that Evelyn's not too happy," Bonnie murmurs whilst handing Alaric the 'necklace that wouldn't die', escaping the awkward but sweet conversation about Jeremy been an idiot and that things will get better.

"Yeah, I told her straight and she got mad. Now she believes that we're keeping things from her," He rolls his eyes. "She seems to think that it's not a good thing."

"So... Why does doing the right thing feel so bad?" She pouts.

"Because it's upsetting Evelyn, but either way somebody is going to get hurt."

"Yeah," Bonnie sighs. "So – what did you need the necklace for?"

"Oh! So, I have been staring at this image all day wondering why it looked so familiar," He reaches down to pick up one of the many pictures and holds it up beside the necklace for Bonnie to see. "I was right."

"It's the same design," She gasps.

"So your grandmother said that this necklace belonged to the Witch who put the Hybrid curse on Klaus?" Ric asks whilst Bonnie glances back and forth between the two objects. She nods, "Well this symbol is repeated across the wall and I've been trying to figure out what it means..." He proceeds to scribble something on a post-it note and stick it on to the picture. "Now I know." He holds the photo up once more and watches the realization cross Bonnie's features as she reads the word.

_WITCH._

...

Rebekah allows the door to creep open and peaks her head through the crack. A huge, mischievous smile lights up her face as her eyes scan the cluttered room. She cannot resist entering for a snoop around.

"How fun is this?" She beams whilst her eyes glance from trinket to trinket. She runs over to the chest of drawers whilst Evelyn watches her from the doorway.

"I don't think we should be in here," Evelyn murmurs worriedly as her eyes land on the various objects that make up Stefan's bedroom.

"Of course we should!" She rolls her eyes whilst plucking a pair of grey boxers from his drawer. She holds the object away from herself and allows her eyes to travel across the object of clothing; she then shows them to Evie, "Boxer briefs – now that's a change from the twenties."

"Are you going to snoop through his stuff all night or are you going to tell me your story?" Evie sighs impatiently.

"Well you're no fun... Ok, fine; what do you want to know?"

So many questions wrestle for dominance in Evelyn's mind at that moment that her head begins to spin. She steps in to the room and sits against the wall to try and ease the headache she has had since the beginning of that morning.

"Well... Start from the beginning. You'll let me learn what you want me to learn, right?"

Rebekah grins, "Well done. Well, my Father was a land owner in Europe – my parents had just started a family when a plague struck their home land... They lost a child to it; they wanted to escape and protect their future family from the same fate."

"So how did you end up _here_; I'm no Historian but I'm pretty sure that this part of the world had not even been discovered, yet." Evie muses.

"Ha, well not by anyone in your history books – but my Mother knew a Witch, Ayana, who had heard from the spirits of a mystical land where everyone was healthy; blessed by the gifts of speed and strength... That led my family here where we lived amongst those people." The Original's speech grows quieter towards the end; she idly plays with various pieces of paper, pictures and books whilst she tells the story. Evelyn watches her – mesmerized by her words. Her story is far greater – and a _lot_ more interesting – than any dumb history book. She _lived_ this.

"Were they werewolves?" She asks.

"To us they were just our neighbours; my family lived in peace with them for over twenty years, during which time my family had more children... Including me."

"You make it sound so normal," Evie smiles slightly as she watches the Original walk over to the window and gaze out of it. She smiles, herself.

"It was... Once a month our family retreated to the caves beneath our village; the wolves would howl through the night and by morning we would return home... I remember the morning that everything changed like it was yesterday. I had been in one of my mother's rooms – admiring her necklaces. The next moment I heard Klaus _screaming_ for our mother. In a panic I ran to the door to see him carrying our youngest brother – Henrik – to the house. One full moon Klaus and Henrik had snuck out to watch the men turn in to beasts. That was forbidden."

"So what happened? Why was Klaus screaming?" Evelyn squirms from where she is sat – she already knows what happened but she prays that Rebekah tells her otherwise.

"Henrik paid the price."

"No..." Evelyn feels tears fill her eyes. She can picture Klaus as a human; she imagines him to have long hair like the Vikings had in those days – wavy, just like his hair is now. She can imagine his screaming for their mother to somehow save his brother as if she was actually there to witness it. "He died?" She gasps.

"He did," Rebekah takes a shaky breath. "Klaus blamed himself for it. He was whimpering about the wolves and apologizing... All I heard him say for _hours_ was 'the wolves' and 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry'... He cradled his knees to his chest and rocked back and forth. I have _never_ seen him so broken; I tried so hard to comfort him and to tell him it wasn't his fault but my attempts to calm him never helped... Henrik's death was the beginning of the end of peace with our neighbours – and one of the last moments my family had together as humans."

The pictures the story places in to Evelyn's mind are haunting her – but she _needs_ to know this. She finds herself sympathising with the human Klaus and wishing that she could have comforted him. Would he have believed her when she told him it wasn't his fault? Would he have listened to her if she told him to stay in the cave and out of trouble? He had been curious – _everyone_ gets curious... He should not blame himself for his brother's death. He didn't know that it was going to happen. Evie's cell phone begins to buzz and she curses as the sound makes her jump from her thoughts. Rebekah's gazing breaks off; she shakes her head so her blonde locks wave around her face, looks down at her shoes and clears her throat.

"You better get that – that'll be your 'heroine' of a sister checking up on you," Rebekah's smirk is half-hearted and Evie finds herself smiling back before answering the call.

"Hello?"

"_Evie!"_ Elena shouts from the other end of the line.

"Elena? Where are you?"

"_I could ask you the same thing! What're you up to? Are you aware that Damon let Stefan go?"_

"He did _what_?" Evie snaps before laughing bitterly, "Oh you think I was 'in on it', don't you?"

"_Well, we don't exactly know with how you've been acting today!"_

"I'm _not_ the enemy, Elena! I am your _sister_ who has decided that she wants _no part_ in any of your one-sided shit! _Yes_ I am aware of everything that Klaus has done and all of the people he has killed but killing him, or anyone else, is _not_ heroic – it's hypocritical. I can't talk right now, anyway." Evie proceeds to hang up her cell phone. She tries to control her fury but she cannot seem to get a hold on it – her body begins to shake and suddenly she is throwing her phone at the nearest wall. Rebekah grabs it before it breaks.

"Thank you."

Evie looks up from the ground and meets Rebekah's grateful eyes; she wipes her tears away as her anger slowly fades. Did she just stick up for the blonde-bitch who has been driving her crazy ever since the dagger had been removed from her heart? Apparently so.

...

North Carolina.

Would that not be the last place that Mikael would think of looking for him? He was locked up in the Pickett tomb in Charlotte for a long and appreciated amount of time. Klaus would have preferred his Step-Father to remain in that very tomb for much, much longer... But apparently the supernatural inhabitants in Mystic Falls had a different idea. _Did she have anything to do with it?_ He wonders whilst he sits in her cold, dark, abandoned bedroom. She had lived here with her Father – the man who had killed himself to save Elena's humanity after Klaus had killed her in the sacrifice... That wasn't the first parent of hers he had killed.

First of all he had compelled Isobel to capture Katerina, hand her over and protect Elena – once she had her in safe hands he had Isobel tear her Lapis necklace from her neck and burn in front of her daughter's eyes. Second came her Aunt Jenna; he used her in the ritual as the Vampire to get revenge for the crazy, impulsive Damon Salvatore taking his Vampire _and_ Werewolf. The third was Elena – however short her death may have been he still killed her. And finally – her Father, Johnathan Gilbert. That was probably the worst of all – what makes it worse? He was not aware of it. How was he to know? But that is still no real excuse.

And yet she told him she loves him? The idea is preposterous, in his opinion. This beautiful, caring, stubborn and feisty teenage girl is in _love_ with him? She cannot be in love with him; hearing her say those words... It _hurt_ – emotionless monsters are not supposed to _hurt_. He wanted to squeeze the cell phone until it crumbled in his hands and then stand on it and grind it in to the dirt. He wanted to destroy those very words and then shout at her – tell her that she does not know the meaning of the words. She is seventeen and he is over one-thousand years old. _Love?_ How can a _child_ understand love?

No, she cannot love him... But he can love her. The idea had shocked him; _scared_ him... But after he impulsively confessed it to her in the High School parking lot he realized that he does love her. He loves her arguments, how she can drive him to the edge of killing her and then send him in to pure bliss when her lips touch his own... He hates this. He hates the euphoria of having her close. He hates that she makes him feel something, again. He _hates_ having a liability as fragile as her. He feels like he has lost all sanity to have fallen so quickly and so easily – had he not given his brother grief for doing just this with Katerina back in the 1400's? The Hybrid falling for his doppelganger... _How very pathetic_. He is losing his mind in his old age.

What scares him now is that he left her there with Mikael waiting in the wings. Will he discover his feelings for her? Will he get his revenge by taking her away from him? He cannot begin to even consider it; he knows that it will lead him back to Mystic Falls. No – he left Stefan and Rebekah to protect her _and_ the other one. They will call the moment they believe that they cannot do the job he has given them; they are safe for the time being.

Would he give his life to protect Evelyn? Is love not about 'taking a bullet' for the other without flinching because a world where they do not exist is unimaginable. He sighs heavily and picks up her diary from the age of eight to eleven. He has been reading this ever since he found three of them under her pillow. Her recent one must be with her in Mystic Falls – what is with these doppelgangers and keeping diaries? He sighs again, shrugs and continues to read.

He wants to know her past as much as she wants to know his.

...

"Did you get your fill of snooping yet?" The distraction from an entry in one of Stefan's diaries causes Rebekah to turn her head and glare at the doppelganger, "Can we get on with the story?" She drops the diary on to the bed and pushes herself off of it. Evelyn sits back and sighs whilst Rebekah looks through a few more things – she finds a framed photograph of Stefan and Elena – Stefan is wearing one of the Timberwolves jerseys and Elena is wearing her Mothers necklace.

"Honestly I don't get Stefan and Elena as a couple... I don't really get you and Klaus as one, either." She frowns down at the doppelganger; her eyes search hers for anything interesting to her... She finds nothing that she thinks her brother would enjoy. She is merely a blood bag full of the sweet doppelganger blood that will allow him to create more of himself – well, she should be, anyway. This one seems to mean so much more to him. Rebekah is not sure whether her brother is lying to her or not. Can he really care for someone on the outside of their family after all of this time?

"I feel the same way," Evie smiles slightly as she gazes off into the distance. "I don't think Klaus believed me – when I told him I love him."

"You told him?" Rebekah raises her eyebrows as Evelyn nods, "What did he say?"

"He hung up on me," She replies.

"Oh." The Original frowns, "You believe you love him?"

"I do love him," Evelyn glares icily at the blonde. "What're you insisting?"

"That's ridiculous – I heard you say it earlier but it never sunk in... You cannot love Klaus."

"And why not?" Evie snaps, "I'm getting sick and tired of having everyone tell me how I should and shouldn't feel, today!"

"Okay, well let's see how you feel later on."

"No, you know what? I'm just going to go." Evelyn grabs her jacket that she had placed over the back of the wooden chair she had been sat on and pulls it over her arms.

"You haven't even heard half the story," Rebekah mumbles.

"Are you going to tell me it or are you going to keep trying to upset me? Snooping around, making me wait... Maybe you're right – maybe I don't love Klaus... But I want too; why is that so _wrong_?"

"Because it may be for the wrong reasons, Evelyn... Have you even considered that?" Rebekah asks in concern, "If my brother begins to feel again then I want it to be for something _real_ – not some childlike fantasy of 'oh, I can change him for the better'. My brother is a sociopathic killer who will do _whatever_ it takes to preserve himself; don't _ever_ forget or ignore that."

Evelyn sinks back down in to her chair and runs a hand through her tousled, wavy hair. She takes in Rebekah's words and asks herself if this is real or if it is to protect everyone around her... She thinks back to the first time she hugged him, that day when he took her to that restaurant in Chicago and how beautiful and wonderful his words had been when he admitted his love for her. How he was giving her blood because she was hurt – how he kissed her and how fragile he treated her. The memories send her head spinning and cause her heart to beat quickly and uneasily... A blush graces her cheeks as she licks her lips – remembering how soft and passionate they had been against her own. Rebekah watches the girl as she keeps her eyes closed – in that moment she looks happier than she has ever looked, before.

"It's definitely _not_ because I could change him... When we argue we _hate_ each other but it doesn't change how I feel about him. _Nothing_ could change how I really, truly feel. I think I love him, Rebekah. It's unbelievable because of all the bad he has done to my life but I _do_ and this story is just backing up that feeling..." Evelyn smiles slightly, "It's real. It's everything I've always wanted and so much more... He is not perfect at all but I don't care; I _must_ love him if I feel so strong despite everything he has done and plans to do."

"Maybe you do," Rebekah murmurs – her gaze is intense as it is fixated on Evelyn's face. She looks away awkwardly and once the Original realizes her embarrassment she sighs. "This necklace," She points to the necklace Elena has on in the picture, "Was not Stefan's to give..." Evelyn smirks and turns around to see Rebekah looking up at her; sulking. She ignores her smirk and continues, "It belonged to the Original Witch."

Evelyn remembers hearing Klaus and Gloria talk about that necklace in Chicago. "The one who put the Hybrid curse on Klaus?"

"Not just the Hybrid curse," Rebekah keeps her expression neutral but she is shocked that this girl knows a lot more than she thought she would... But she won't know this: "She's the one who turned us in to Vampires. I had been eavesdropping on my parents as they spoke to Ayana; my Father had begged for her help in creating the spell but she refused. She told them that it was a crime against nature... My Mother sounded so upset – they had already lost two children and she couldn't bear to lose anymore. She wanted to call upon the spirits and have them help her find a way to protect us... I'm thirsty, do you want a drink?"

Evelyn breaks from her gaze and looks down at the floor whilst the smug Vampire glides past her and gracefully exits the room. She falls on to the bed and curls up in to a ball whilst she allows this information to sink in; the Original Witch turned them in to Vampires... Ayana? Did she decide to do it despite it been some sort of crime against nature? What role does she really play in all of this? Why did she turn them?

"Wait, Rebekah!" Evie jumps from the bed and heads through the dimly lit corridors. A shiver runs down her spine and she pauses at a window as her peripheral vision spots some sort of unfamiliar shadow outside. She gently places her shaking hands on to the windowsill and leans towards it to try and make out what it is. The shadow stays exactly where it is – casting a dark figure like one from a nightmare on to the ground. She traces the outline with her eyes and gasps as she realizes what it is.

A man.

"Rebekah there's someone outside!" She shrieks, panic bursts inside of her as searches the place for the first weapon she can find. Within seconds the blonde is pushing the panicking doppelganger out of her way and gazing in to the darkness.

"There's nothing there," She sighs in anger. "It's your mind playing tricks on you."

"No – _no_! There was somebody out there, I _swear_!"

"Do you want to hear the rest or not?" Rebekah has grown more than tired of her silly little panic attack. Evelyn rushes to the window and leans against it, staring in to the place where she had seen the man... But there is nothing there. She is desperate to think of something to make Rebekah believe her but, at the end of the day, she doesn't care. She won't bother going to check because she won't flinch at her fear. She holds no nice emotions for Evelyn.

"Y-You said your Mom wanted to protect you; so Vampirism was a form of protection?" Evelyn composes herself whilst asking Rebekah the question to distract her from her irritation.

"What else would it be?" Rebekah questions.

"A curse!" Evie yells, completely shocked that her _parents_ would do something like this to her.

"My parents only saw it as a way of keeping their children alive," Rebekah frowns at Evelyn's shock – she does not understand how one would _not_ want to have eternal life... As a human, anyway.

"Yeah but _why stay_?" Evelyn glances down at the blood bag in Rebekah's hand and shudder slightly – watching her drink directly from it sends a wave of nauseas through her. "If they were so afraid of the Werewolves why not _leave_?" It is the most obvious and logical answer in the world to her; this whole story has become ridiculous! _Why did they stay!_

"Pride," Rebekah grinds her teeth and Evelyn can tell she is thinking the exact same thing she was, "My Father didn't want to run, anymore. He wanted to _fight_ and be superior to the wolves... But they could bite – we had to bite harder, when they had speed we had to be faster." An evil smirk pulls up one corner of Rebekah's lips, "agility, strength... Senses; they wanted everything to be heightened. They wanted us to live forever; Ayana had warned them that it would cost a heavy price – the spirits would turn their backs on us. She had explained it as a plague... To most of your kind that seems to be exactly what it is. Ayana left and swore she would have no part in the spell – so my Father left it to my Mother alone."

"In _her_ hands? How could she do anything?"

"Because my Mother was _also_ a Witch."

"_What_? Okay this is officially mind blowing! Seriously?"

"The Witch of the Original family... The _Original Witch_," Rebekah smirks at Evelyn's reaction before leaving the corridor and heading in to the Salvatore library. Evie feels dizzy from this flood of information but she hurries along after her.

"Where do they keep their best vintage?" Rebekah muses whilst scanning the liquor stand in the centre of the library.

"But if you're Mom was a witch doesn't that mean you're-"

"Am I? No. None of us are; A Witch is nature's servant and a Vampire is an abomination of nature." She snoops through a cupboard and pulls out a very nice looking wine, "You can only be one or the other – never both. My Mother did this for _us_... She did not turn."

"How did you turn?" Evelyn asks carefully; the room is so quite aside from Rebekah's footsteps as she walks through the room. The further they get in to the story the more she sees the girl behind the Vampirism... The confused and lonely girl.

"She called upon the sun for life and the ancient white oak tree – one of nature's eternal objects for immortality... That night my Father offered us wine laced with blood," Rebekah is seeing the past and Evie can tell from the sound of her quivering voice. The story is taking an ominous turn that is heightened by the crackling flames of the fire. "And then he drove his sword through our hearts."

Her brown eyes flood with tears as a choked sob escapes her throat. She can imagine the agony of a silver blade piercing their hearts – the screams that must have woken the entire village. She sees Klaus – helpless and scared as his Father pursues him. How he must have smiled as he came to him; enjoying the shriek that tore through his throat, blood following as he fell to the ground... Limp, lifeless.

"He killed you?" She chokes emotionally. Rebekah turns to see the ill paleness of her skin and the tears falling down her cheeks.

"And he wasn't delicate about it, either." The blonde Original is staring off in to space still whilst she tears the top of the bottle straight off. Evie jumps at the sound but manages to calm down. "I awoke just a second or so after Nik to the sound of him calling my name. I saw all of the blood and I panicked – I couldn't understand what had happened. He crawled over to me and checked to see that we had the same stain of blood where our hearts are... He told me everything was going to be alright. I began to cry..." Rebekah places her bottle and drink on the table before sitting down on one of the couches – Evie is frozen in place, silent tears fall down her cheeks as she watches the broken girl tell her story. "My Father entered with one of the villagers; Nik asked him what he was doing and my Father replied that we had to feed or we would die. I was horrified – I didn't understand what he meant. He cut in to her wrist and I became entranced by the metallic, delicious scent that filled the air. All I could see was how the vein in her arm seeped the substance my whole being seemed to crave. Nik was Hell-bent on stopping me – he tried to shove my Father away and pull me away from his grasp but he pushed my mouth to her wrist and Nik was too late... It was _euphoric_; the feeling of power was... Indescribable! But the Witch, Ayana, was right about the consequences. The spirits turned on us and nature fought back; for every strength there would be a weakness... The sun became our enemy – it kept us indoors for _weeks_ and, although my Mother found a solution, there were other problems... Neighbours who had opened their homes to us could now keep us out, the flowers at the base of the white oak tree burned and prevented compulsion, and the spell decreed that the tree that gave us life could also take it away." Rebekah smiles ruefully through the tears shimmering in her sad blue eyes, "So we burned it to the ground... But the darkest consequence was something my parents _never_ anticipated; the _hunger_. Blood had made us reborn and it was blood that we craved above all else. We could not control it... And with that the predatory species was born."

Silence fills the room; the wood protesting against the flames to create the crackling sound seems to echo whilst Evie stares in to Rebekah's wide, child-like eyes. She swallows to try and destroy the lump in her throat but she cannot remove it. Evelyn feels a question bubble to the surface and cannot help but ask:

"What happened afterwards? How... How did Klaus become _both_?" Rebekah tries to compose herself at this question... So much pain followed but she knows that the doppelganger needs to know this. "When Nik made his first human kill it triggered his Werewolf gene... With that he became my Father's greatest shame."

"Why? I don't understand... Why is Klaus a Hybrid but you're a Vampire?"

"Werewolves are born with the Werewolf gene, Evelyn. Once they kill a human that gene is triggered; in their adolescent years they become very aggressive which is why most of them have killed and turned."

"But... You didn't become a wolf?"

"No," Rebekah shakes her head. "My mother slept with another man – someone in the village – which is why Nik is a Hybrid... Nik is my half-brother."

"Oh, my God..." Evie gasps as shock fills her from head-to-toe. Half-siblings? Why hasn't anybody _told_ her this!

"She tried to make it right – she put the Hybrid curse on Nik to suppress his Werewolf side and she turned her back on him... But Mikael's greatest weakness as a human was his pride... As a Vampire that was magnified... He went on a rampage and killed half the village – then he came home and killed her."

"W-What?" Evelyn is crying once again; this story is taking a lot out of her. She knows what it is like – to lose a parent. Agonising pain shoots through her at the reminder of her parents' death as tears glide down her cheeks, "Mikael killed your mother?"

Rebekah turns around with an emotionless look on her face; hiding her true emotions. "He said she broke his heart so he would break hers... He tore it from her chest whilst Nik watched. Afterwards my Father took off in a rage and the rest of my family scattered. Nik stayed so he could help me bury her; he knew I had to say goodbye to my Mother. I knew he thought she hated him but I told him otherwise – I explained that she was only scared. I apologized for her – for turning her back on him. I swore I would never do that to him... Elijah swore the same thing."

"Elijah?" Evelyn questions with her quivering voice; she is still crying, "Who is he?"

"One of our other brothers. He is in one of the coffins we have been carting around with us."

"Why don't you wake them?" She whispers.

"Because if I did then Nik would kill me again," She replies.

"He broke his word... He turned his back on him?"

"Yes – he was the one who almost killed him after he had broken the Hybrid curse."

"Oh! My Dad told me about him; he never mentioned his name."

"You're Father? I thought he was dead."

"Oh, I spoke to his ghost! Your Mother opened the doors to the other side for anybody with unfinished business and my Dad found me... I got to say my goodbyes," Evelyn smiles behind her tears at the memory of holding the man who raised her one last time. She is shocked that Rebekah smiles sadly at her.

"I'm glad that someone got that gift... I would give anything to speak to her again."

"Maybe you will, someday," Evelyn comforts with a pitiful look that has Rebekah wishing she had never said anything... But a part of her is glad; no one has seemed to care like this for a long time. She feels grateful – for the first time _ever_ – for the doppelganger's presence. "Rebekah... Well, I've been curious about this for a while... Why do you stick around Klaus when he kept you locked in a coffin for ninety years?"

"I promised him I would stay by his side and we would stick as one... Always and forever. He is my brother, Evelyn. We're Vampires – our emotions are heightened. I'm stubborn, Elijah morale and Nik... Nik has no tolerance for those who disappoint him. Over one thousand years as a family we've all made that mistake at least once... I have made it several times." She tries to smile but she cannot force her lips to do the action – tears are shimmering in her usually icy blue eyes.

"You still love him," Evelyn notes aloud. The tear-filled eyes lift to look in to what she expects to be an accusing glare... It turns out to be a tear-filled, determined look.

"And so do you," She replies with a ghost of a smile. "He's my brother and he seems to be falling for you a lot quicker than I imagined he ever could... Take care of him; I would hate to see him lose his humanity, again."

...

The bar that Stefan has introduced Damon to is buzzing with tipsy Human's – Stefan is feeding and drinking and Damon is pleasantly surprised at his brother's lack of humanity... Until he remembers that it is not all fun and games: he needs his brother back.

"Two more!" Damon shouts to the bartender over various cheers and obnoxious laughter that emanate from the Humans surrounding them. Stefan follows his brother to the bar where they both take a seat; the Ripper turns to his brother.

"Alright, time to fess up – what's the point of the jailbreak?" Stefan questions with a smirk; Damon gives him the most pitiful look he can muster and replies:

"I thought you could use a hug, Stefan," He pouts.

"Come on, Damon. You know Elena's going to _hate you_ for letting me out and we both know that you care about what she thinks."He raises his shot in a toast before downing it down in one swig.

"Maybe I wanted to remind you what freedom was like before Klaus took it from you," Damon downs his shot, too. His cerulean blue eyes watch Stefan tensely the whole time.

"As long as Klaus is alive," Stefan slams his glass on to the table for added emphasis, "I do what he says."

"That's my point, Stefan – you've given up! You can sit around and be his little bitch or you can get _mad_ enough and do something about it!"

"Damon, he _can't be killed_," Stefan reminds him.

"Maybe I can help with that."

Both Salvatore brothers turn to the place where the voice came from and stare at the stranger whilst trying to comprehend who he is. He stares at the pair of them in turn for a moment before speaking again, "The Salvatore boys, I presume." Damon glances at Stefan uneasily as he gets out of his seat and meets the intense gaze of the man. This is who Klaus had been talking about... He's here.

"Mikael," Stefan greets him with his name and Damon sits back in his seat and grins. Oh, goodie! The Hunter has _finally _arrived!

"Tell me, Stefan... Is Klaus out of the country?" He asks politely.

"I can't tell you," Stefan replies cockily.

"Has he spoken to you since he left?" He tries to compel the younger Vampire this time – Stefan realizes this and smirks back at him.

"I can't tell you."

"Alright; can you tell me the last time you spoke to Niklaus?" Mikael glances at Damon – Stefan's eyes follow him to his brother who is watching them both quizzically. Stefan turns away from his brother as he watches the irritation tug at his expression.

"I am compelled to do what he says and _he says_ to keep my damn mouth shut," Stefan explains with fake sincerity.

"I _really_ hope this game of twenty questions isn't your secret weapon," Damon mumbles from the sidelines of the conversation. Mikael turns to the older Salvatore and gives him a warning glance before placing his hand on his shoulder – a hand that Damon stares at as if it has burned him. He knows that _nothing_ good is going to come of this.

"You see, Damon – I have been a Vampire Hunter longer than you have been alive... I have tracked you all the way from Mystic Falls – a place where I found some very interesting people who I will _definitely_ be visiting later on if you do not co-operate with me. Been a Hunter led me here and it is why I am going to find Niklaus."

"Well, Klaus has been running for about a thousand years so if you think you're going to get work around here-" Damon's words become a choked gargling sound and his eyes become wide as he feels Mikael's hand plunge in to his chest and get a firm grip around his heart. Stefan jumps and goes to grab Mikael but the Hunter _tsks_ at him.

"Careful, Stefan – one more and his heart is gone." He keeps his intense gaze on Damon until his eyes drop down to the hand inside his chest; Mikael turns to Stefan, "Now – _where_ is Klaus?"

Mikael will kill Damon without flinching – of this Stefan is more than sure. He glances between his brother and the Hunter for a moment, contemplating... The pleading look from his brother has him beginning to feel something... A tiny slither or fear.

"Come on," Mikael whispers teasingly, "What's the trick question, Stefan? One twist and he's dead – unless you don't care, of course," He reminds the Vampire after a silent moment. Stefan can tell the Original is taunting him – he can see that slither of humanity that Stefan is currently feeling.

"His emotions have been shut off – he can't care," Damon explains.

"_Really? _His link to Klaus is so strong that he would let his own brother _die_?" He stares in to Stefan's torn green eyes the whole time. Stefan closes them and wills himself to calm down. "No ideas, hmm?" Mikael asks with a little more anger, this time. Stefan opens his mouth to speak but it's so dry... He doesn't know what to say. He wants to tell Mikael where Klaus is but _he can't!_ "_Think, Stefan_!" Mikael snaps... Think... Think of a way to get to Klaus... What can he do to show Mikael to him? After one more moment Mikael looks back to Damon. "I guess your right; he's a dead end," Stefan stares at Mikael's hand with anger and resentment. "And so are you, Damon."

"_Wait_!" Stefan snaps, grabbing Mikael's attention just in time. "I can bring him back? I can lure Klaus back to Mystic Falls!"

Mikael keeps eye contact for a moment with the tense Vampire before releasing his hold on his heart and removing his hand from Damon's chest. He falls on to his knees – he continues to cough and splutter as his body begins to heal its self.

"And _there_ is our loophole!" He speaks chirpily as he picks up a handkerchief and wipes the blood from his hand. "I just have to rile you up a bit – get Klaus back to Mystic Falls and I will _gladly_ drive a stake through his heart; fail... I'll drive it through yours."

And then Mikael walks away.

...

"Evie!" Elena runs to her sister as she spots her at the door of the tomb, "Where've you _been_?"

"I was been Universal – I think the Twilight fans refer to it as team Switzerland?" Evie smirks sarcastically as Elena removes her arms from around her sister.

"Stop been so bitchy," She sighs tiredly – Elena does not want to argue with her sister, anymore. She understands her motives but she thinks that her sister is doing the wrong thing... She has not _seen _everything Klaus is capable of; she didn't watch Jenna or their Mother die in front of her.

"How'd you get down here?" Bonnie asks; narrowing her eyes at Evie who kicks at a few stones lying on the damp, rocky ground – each one lands in to the stream of water.

"I followed you, of course," She smiles dazzlingly, "I know I turned down the offer of seeing the cave but I decided I may as well get a good look... Aw, you even labelled the pictures!" Evie smiles patronizingly at Alaric, "How cute!"

"You remind me of Katherine," Ric spits spitefully at the cocky teenager who folds her arms over her chest and glares at him.

"No, she's not," Elena stands up for her, "She's upset and she cares, Ric. Katherine only cares about herself, _plus_ she wouldn't be so bitchy about us trying to kill Klaus."

"You're all a bunch of hypocrites, I.M.O. Anyway, let me take a look at these..." The 'universal' doppelganger flicks on her torch and shines it on the carvings created over one-thousand years ago. "Oh, look! The white oak tree that was used in the spell... This is them burning that down..."

"Evie _what_ the Hell are you talking about?" Elena gapes at her sister who looks behind her shoulder and rolls her eyes.

"Dearest sister, I am the universal girl – that means I love you all... I will not betray any secrets I discover..." She glares at them, "I refuse to help you kill Klaus."

"Are you serious!" Elena yells furiously whilst the others all glare angrily at Evie. She turns back to the wall and re-tells the story to herself whilst admiring each picture... Ignoring Elena's rant as she does. She reaches the final drawing and stops; shining the light on it.

"What's this?" Evie gasps; her whole face pales at the image. Ric feels like telling her where she can stuff her questions but they all see the ghostly look on Evelyn's face... Even Elena shuts up as Ric picks up a couple of pictures and takes them over to her.

"Okay, so I think that you have been filled in on the history of the Originals and it really pisses me off that you're not going to spill... But I know you won't let us die and I can tell you're fairly upset at that one. What I _do_ know about that image is that the person is holding this," He gestures to the Witch symbol that mirrors the one been held by the stick figure, "And their heart is bleeding... And an upside down image usually represents death."

"Those symbols... Their familiar. There the Vampire and Werewolf symbol mashed together..." She picks up the picture of the Witch, Werewolf and Vampire symbols and then picks up the picture Ric has taken of the strange final carving...

And then it hits her...

"No..."

She stares hazily at the image whilst Rebekah's words from earlier run through her mind as clearly as if she is speaking them right now. _"He said she broke his heart so he would break hers... He tore it from her chest whilst Nik watched."_ But... What if that _wasn't_ true; what if Klaus had lied about that? Rebekah said that he had been there to witness it which proves that she didn't see for herself. It makes sense – Klaus was furious for having his Werewolf side cursed, having his mother turn her back on him and all of his emotions had been heightened; he had only just been turned, he was hurt and furious and felt betrayed... _"Nik has no tolerance for those who disappoint him."_

"I have to go!" Evie grabs as many pictures as she can, throws her torch to the ground uncaringly and races out of the enclosed cave; tears run down her cheeks and her hands ball in to fists so tightly that she can feel her nails cutting in to her skin. She doesn't care – it releases just a small portion of the numerous, _strong_ emotions that have taken her over completely. She can hear the other three shouting at her to explain but she ignores their calls – she has to speak to Rebekah. Once she has got out of the Lockwood cellars she fumbles and trips her way out of the dark forest – she is cut and bruised from her fight against nature whilst she was running back to her car but she doesn't care about that, either. The pictures are crumpled and cutting in to her fingers but she keeps her hold on them whilst her tires screech against the concrete road – the Ferrari is a lot faster than Evelyn had anticipated it to be. She is grateful for that.

"Rebekah!" She slams her car door shut and runs up to the doorway, "REBEKAH!"

"What is the matter? Why are you bleeding so much? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" She snaps angrily at the doppelganger until she sees the tears staining her cheeks... Her psychic senses send ice down her spine and lead her to stare at her right fist... Where the picture is. "What's wrong?"

"H-How do you know that Mikael killed your Mother?" She pants – trying to catch her breath from all of the running she has done.

"Nik was there!" She states as if it is obvious, "He told me!"

"H-He lied to you," She takes a deep breath to steady her voice. She should not be crying; she won't let herself cry whilst she explains to Rebekah. She deserves the full – and understandable – story. Crying will muddle her words.

"And how do you know that?" She rolls her eyes, "You've got yourself in a state for something you cannot be sure of."

"No! I went down to the cave where you carved your families names – it's covered in symbols! It tells the story of your family, how your parents arrived, how they made peace," she slams them on to the liquor stand to show her, "The spell that turned them in to Vampires – and _this_! _This_ is the symbol for Hybrid..." Rebekah frowns down at it whilst she listens, "It's a combination of the Werewolf _and_ the Vampire symbol..." Her chocolate eyes look up at Rebekah's face to see confusion. "And this is the one for your mother."

"The necklace," She recognizes with a gasp. Her breath is becoming laboured as her senses scream at her that she has been lied to... That someone has kept her in the dark.

"A-And this is what got me so upset... This is the story of her death," She hands Rebekah the most important picture; the stick figure holding up the witch symbol with a bleeding heart in the centre of their torso, the Hybrid symbol and the stick figure drawn upside down... It's heart lying above its feet – bleeding. Evelyn controls the urge to cry and points at the Hybrid symbol, "The Hybrid killed the Original Witch..."She moves her finger to the Witch stick figure. "Not Mikael... _Klaus_."

Rebekah shakes her head, "No... No, he _wouldn't_!"

"She put the curse on him; made it so that he would be the only one of his kind and then she _rejected_ him! With the Werewolf gene comes aggression and violence – you said that yourself! When he turned all of that was heightened! He killed her, Rebekah, and then he made up this entire _lie_ about your Father so that he wouldn't lose you!"

"THESE MEAN _NOTHING_; THEIR JUST _STUPID DRAWINGS _DONE BY _STUPID PEOPLE_ WHO HAD _NO IDEA_ WHO MY FAMILY WAS!" The Original shrieks, grabbing each photograph and throwing them in to the fire place to burn. She turns back to Evelyn with tears in her eyes – Rebekah feels the lump in her throat and the desperate need to break down. She _refuses_ too – she is _not human_!

"Then why are you so upset?" Evie asks as she walks closer, her own tears make an appearance for the hundredth time, today.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!" She growls in a desperate attempt to get the bitch to leave – she is wrong... She has to be wrong, "I'VE DONE _NOTHING_ TO YOU!"

"Klaus killed your Mother! He has a hold on you, on _me_, on _EVERYONE_! He has for a _thousand years_! I can't _do this_, Rebekah! I can't _be with him_ and as much as that hurts to say I have to accept it! THIS HAS TO STOP!"

"_SHUT UP, JUST SHUT UP! DON'T TALK ANYMORE, NOTHING!"_ Rebekah shrieks piercingly and Evelyn gasps and cries out in pain as the Vampire encloses her fingers around her throat and forces her in to the wall. The veins under her eyes rise, her eye-whites go red and her fangs elongate as Rebekah hisses at her.

Evelyn stares back in to Rebekah's eyes as she realizes that she has lost control... Rebekah looks down at the girl – this is the girl that spent an entire day trying to learn about her brother so that she could try and love him. She wanted to give him something that nobody else seemed to give him... Something he could have only received from his family. She wanted to help – she wanted to save _and_ love Klaus. This is the girl that refused to allow her brothers lie to taint her mind, anymore. She told her the truth... She _knows_ that this is the truth. Her brother has allowed her to stay loyal to him all this time... She turned her against her own Father – who once loved her dearly – and selfishly lied so that she would stay with him...

Evelyn gasps in air as Rebekah releases her throat and watches as her Vampiric expression disappears... In its place is the glassy, horrified, heartbroken human that this girl once was. Rebekah pictures her Mothers smile; she thinks about how she defied nature and became its enemy for her... How she protected them and loved them all with all of her heart... How guilty and heartbroken she had been when Mikael discovered her darkest secret – how she had begged Rebekah and her siblings to stop him. Klaus had not been amongst them... He had been at home – taking her Mother away from her. Taking her best friend; the only woman who ever really understood her. The person who meant the entire world to her.

The sobs travel up her throat and she cannot help but release them. She doesn't care if her humanity is showing – she squeezes her eyes shut, falls to her knees and cries for the first time since the 1920's. She mourns for her Mother's life, for losing her Father because of Klaus' lie... For killing all of those people just to keep him happy... For all of the things that he has taken away from her. Evelyn kneels beside Rebekah and sobs, herself.

"Rebekah, I am so, _so_ sorry... I wish I could do something... I wish I had met you back then and figured all of this out: I've been so _stupid_!" She sees that her words are doing nothing and her sobs are making it harder and harder to speak – she says one more thing before she wraps her arms around the Original and cries along with her:

"I don't want to hate _you_ – I want to _help_ you."

Rebekah looks up whilst she cries and nods her head in acceptance – Evie wraps her arms around her new friends shoulders and cries alongside her; she finally releases _everything_ that has been pent-up for so long. She cries for Jenna, Isobel, John, the Original Witch, Rebekah's losses, for hurting her friends for her selfish needs...

No, not her selfish needs – for Klaus' selfish needs. He manipulated her, twisted her emotions... Yes, she knows he loves her... But he has dug his own grave with all of these lies...

And now she is considering helping team Mikael and putting him in it.


	10. Bonus: All I Need

_I'm SO excited for the next episode! This idea has been gnawing at my mind for days so I had to write it down. Consider it a thank you to all of you who have reviewed, added this story to their favourites and put it on alert! :) The dance is the one that Elena & Damon do in the 'Miss Mystic Falls' episode in season 1 (episode 19). I own nothing, except for Evelyn, of course.  
><strong>Reminder: Bonus chapters are not a part of the story, their just short, spin-off stories involving Klaus &amp; Evie.<strong> _

...

The forest looks divine, tonight. The idea for this year's Homecoming is absolutely fantastic and very original – Caroline and the other members of the committee have put together an outdoor stage that is raised higher than the ground. There is a guitar, a drum set, a bass, a keyboard and a microphone all set up for the band 'My Morning Jacket' who will be performing later in the night. Behind the various instruments are huge 3D, red shimmering sculptures of the letters in the band's name that have large light bulbs placed on the outside of them – it reminds Evelyn of something out of broad way. Above the clearing used for the event are about seven or eight chandeliers that have been hung on to trees. Twinkling lights have been wrapped around the diamonds and brass frames to enhance the lighting; there are two spotlights on the stage to make the area brighter. Large, dark trees surround the clearing and a gentle breeze disarrays the leaves perched on their branches. Stars and a crescent moon fill the beautiful midnight sky.

"Oh my God," Evelyn gasps as she gawps at everything – taking each and every tiny detail in as everyone sways to the beat. The students of Mystic Falls High School have all gathered in a circle around the centre of the clearing where all of the Founding children will soon be dancing; they are currently getting ready to go out there from behind the stage. "This is _beautiful_, Caroline!"

"Thank you!" She beams, "I'm pretty proud of it."

"You should be!" She scoffs before looking around at the small crowd around them; they are planning on making a great entrance: walking across the stage, down the steps and in to the centre of the crowd. Caroline Forbes is dancing with Tyler Lockwood, Amber Fell is dancing with her latest boyfriend, Alex Lopez – her fifteen-year-old sister is dancing with Harry Fitts; Elena Gilbert is dancing with Damon Salvatore; Jeremy Gilbert is dancing with Alexis Fell and... Evelyn Gilbert scans the room for Stefan Salvatore who had _promised_ to dance with her... "Okay, where's the Ripper douche?"

"It seems that your dance partner is unavailable, at this moment in time."

Evie, Elena, Caroline, Damon, Jeremy and Tyler all turn with wide-eyes at the familiar voice. Stood there is a man who appears to have just entered his twenties – he is lean and stands tall; something that makes him come across as both arrogant and classy... Which, of course, he is. He is dressed in a black suit with expensive looking leather shoes, his blazer buttons are fastened; underneath this he is wearing a silver shirt with the top button unfastened and a darker grey tie; it shimmers and turns to purple under the artificial lights illuminating the nature surrounding them. He has a pale complexion, a slight amount of stubble, dirty blonde hair that is cut short and splays out in waves atop his head... His face is angelic – his pink, perfect lips are turned up in to a mischievous grin but the dimples dotted on his cheeks make it seem so innocent. He has a cute button nose and a set of drool-worthy green/blue eyes that are set on Evelyn's figure.

Klaus has returned.

Nobody can see the way he momentarily falls speechless at the beauty standing before him. Her hair has been straightened for the occasion – she has plaited a few strands of hair at the side of her face and brought them together with two sapphire-encrusted slides at the back of her head. The rest of her hair fall loosely around her back and a couple of strands are resting on the front of her shoulders. She is wearing a silver heart locket that holds vervain on the inside, a sapphire ring and an above-the-knee sapphire, silky dress that shimmers a lighter colour under the lights. The dress has straps resting just before her shoulders and hugs her curvaceous figure magnificently. Her lips are covered with a natural pink lip gloss, her cheeks are dotted with colour from the intensity of his gaze and her eyes are like chocolate... How he has missed those eyes.

"Your dance partner appears to be absent, Miss Gilbert. Would you like me to take his place?" Klaus smiles pleasantly – he is acting like he is speaking to an acquaintance.

"But you're one of the chaperones... Aren't you?" Angela frowns.

"Yeah, and you're not part of the Founding families, or dating anyone in them!" Jeremy chips in with a smirk.

"Oh, I have solid evidence that my family were here a _long_ time before the founders discovered it," Klaus grins and winks – everyone can see the underlying message of '_you need to shut your mouth and know your place_'. Evelyn looks up at his angelic features with a frown; she is still furious due to the fact that he lied about who killed his Mother but she knows she cannot make him mad; he might leave and that will ruin the brilliant plan they have concocted... The one that is shaking at its foundations but looks sturdy when put in to words.

"I would be honoured; thank you...?" She keeps up a pretence of not knowing his name.

"Mr Pickett."

Evie gasps quietly at his true last name – she was told that Elijah used Smith. Klaus notices her reaction and leans in to whisper in her ear.

"My brother likes to play pretend but I keep it real."

The doppelganger rolls her chocolate brown eyes at the Hybrid whilst she attempts to ignore the looks her friends are giving them. The 'naive students' all seem to be mildly confused at the banter going on between chaperone and student; the 'in the know students' are all curiously watching them... Wondering just what Klaus is like around the people that mean something to him.

"Ah, my Hybrid!" Klaus beams devilishly as he spots Tyler, "How are you?"

Evie elbows him in the ribs, "Shut up, idiot."

Klaus just chuckles at everyone's tense, uneasy body language. He notices that Evelyn's body language is the exact opposite... He sneakily intertwines their fingers and waits for those deep, chocolate eyes to look up in to his; when they do they are glistening with wonder and joy. He smiles down at her and gives her hand a light squeeze – if they were alone he would stroke her cheek. He can't wait to kiss her, again.

"To kick off Homecoming tonight please welcome the Founding families!" One of the committee councillors calls from the stage. The crowd of students begin to cheer and Evie gulps nervously; she had learnt this dance as a child and is not sure if she still remembers it. Klaus senses her fear and leans down to whisper.

"Don't worry, love. You'll do fine."

They all step up on to the stage; the females hold on to the males arms whilst they do so. Evelyn and Klaus gain a lot of confused and disapproving looks; Klaus _does_ look to be around three or four years older than her but she shrugs it off. It is obvious that Klaus doesn't care so why should she? The doppelganger sucks her inner fears up and makes eye contact with Rebekah; she is glaring daggers at the back of her brother's head. Evelyn hopes that the Original notices her sympathetic expression.

All I Need by Within Temptation begins to play through the speakers; filling the student-packed clearing with violins and guitar strums. The dance begins with the males bowing and the females curtsying; Klaus and Evelyn's eyes are locked on each other's – despite everything negative he makes her feel she cannot help but be pleased to see him, again. Her heart flutters in her chest as he smiles sweetly at her; he has obviously picked up on her thought pattern. Stupid Original powers. They step out from their greetings and raise their right palms so that they are facing each other – Klaus can feel the heat radiating from her silky skin and Evie can feel his cold temperature tickling her palm. Their hands cannot touch as this dance is about the intimacy of the near-touch; as they step around in a small circle they cannot help but wish they could feel the others palm on their own, once more.

This part of the dance is repeated once more – they let down their right palms, step out and then step back in with their left palms, this time. Evelyn's cheeks fill with a blush as Klaus' eyes gaze in to hers intensely... The passionate gaze takes her breath away and has her trapped. She cannot break eye contact; everything and everyone else seems to have blended in to the background... The only people who exist at this moment in time are the two of them. They place down their left palms and then repeat the process with both palms facing their partners; neither of them can think of anything outside of the other. They can feel electricity shooting through their hands and up their arms - it is _addictive_; they are staring in to the others soul the whole time. She can see his joy to be with her and he can see her happiness to be with him. The moment is perfection.

They place their palms at their sides and step out again; then they step back in and Evelyn shivers as Klaus' right hand rests on the smooth satin of her dress; his cool skin has goose bumps raising on her arms. She rests her warm left palm on to his blazer-covered shoulder and her left hand is taken in to his. They start with a backwards step to the right, and then another to the left – this proceeds to taking the steps forwards again and before they know it they are moving automatically; it is as if their minds have intertwined and they are on the same brainwave of thoughts. Their steps and turns are graceful – everyone is watching them alone because it looks as if they have taken the time to choreograph every single movement. She smiles secretively at him and Klaus returns it – he can see her joy, her happiness, her devotion... Her acceptance and her love. She can see his _humanity_ – happiness, adoration, love... It has her heart thumping rapidly. Something that rings through his ears loud-and-clear. The sound brings colour to his cheeks as well as hers; something neither of them miss.

The music reaches its crescendo and everyone stops in their original starting positions. Klaus unwillingly allows his hands to slip from her grasp and she feels a loss at his contact breaking away from hers. Elena and Damon, the couple besides them, look at both of their expressions in shock; they have _never_ seen Evelyn and Klaus so _elated_.

"I love you," Klaus lip-speaks tenderly. Neither Damon or Elena miss this.

"And I love you," Evie beams; murder plans and previous mistakes forgotten... All that matters is the man stood in front of her.

She never thought a dance could be so intimate.


	11. Homecoming

_So, now we have eight weeks to wait until episode 10! *insert crying here* Hopefully this chapter and my spin-off story will make up for that time! Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! :D_

...

Today has been a surprisingly normal day. Evelyn got up at around nine-thirty on Sunday morning; she has been helping set up for the Homecoming dance ever since. When she had got up that morning nobody had been around the house... She found it peculiar but she did not question it. Helping the Dance Committee set up the auditorium has been really enjoyable; it's been so nice to escape her nightmarish reality for a while. She started off by helping Benjamin Davidson and Sandra Nightingale arrange all of the flower bouquets, lighting and music – once they had finished this the three went out and helped Tyler paint the hippie van with glitter and then they finished off by arranging the red carpet that leads to the auditorium doors.

"This is fabulous!" Caroline chirps happily; Evelyn can detect that something off in her friend's voice but chooses to ignore it – she had been arguing with Tyler earlier, she will probably want leaving alone.

"I know! I actually enjoyed helping out – Ben and Sandra are really sweet!" Evelyn smiles as she watches the couple walk over to Matt and Tyler; she feels her eyes fall to their intertwined hands and instantly thinks of the one person she had been trying to get out of her head the most – Klaus, of course... When does she ever _not_ think about Klaus? He is like a record that is stuck on repeat in her mind: whenever she manages to turn the player off something manages to flick it back on again. She is still furious with him but she dreamt of him last night – the dream offered her some comprehension on his motives.

"Hello? Anyone home?" Caroline waves her manicured hands in front of Evelyn's face and she jumps out of her daydream. She realizes that her Vampire friend had been in the middle of a conversation and instantly blushes in humiliation.

"I'm sorry, Care. I must've lost track of reality."

"Are you okay?" She asks with a serious look in her expectant hazel eyes. What is Evelyn supposed to say? _No, actually I feel like I could break down – I am in love with the sociopath that caused my Dad's death, compelled my Mom to kill herself, killed my sister (although that was temporary) and who is planning on draining all of her blood! Also, he hung up on me when I told him I love him and I don't know why! Oh, let's not forget to mention that he's a Hybrid who kills people on a daily basis – plus he killed his Mom and I am so pissed with him for doing something like that... But I miss him so, so much._

"I'm fine," She nods and forces herself to yawn. "Just tired."

"You're still coming tonight," Caroline orders.

"Trust me, I want to be here. I'll feel like my hard work went to waste if I'm not here to see everyone enjoying it!" Evie beams at the blonde to back up her words and she smiles back. A moment later she pulls her cell phone from her pocket and sighs.

"It's five-thirty. I think it's time we started thinking about going home and getting prepared," The blonde scans the parking lot until she spots Tyler talking to Ben and Matt. "I'm going to drag the d-bag minion back to the Lockwood's so that he can get ready, too. Do you need a ride home?"

"Nah, I have my borrowed car – _plus _I'm going straight to the Boarding House."

"Really? Why?" Caroline presses the issue and Evie chews her lower lip slightly nervously.

"Well... I'm kind of getting along with Rebekah, now; she has my dress over there."

"Not you too!" Caroline hangs her head in her hands, "What does everyone find so interesting about her? She is a complete _bitch_!"

"She's misunderstood-" Evelyn tries to explain that Rebekah really is not a bad person but Caroline holds her hand up and glares down at her.

"Save it – I don't care. I'll see you around."

Evie watches Caroline storms off and curses herself internally for her own stupidity.

...

Evelyn lets herself in to the Boarding House – she pushes any thoughts about her guilt for 'betraying' everyone aside for the time being. She has had a great day and she really does not want all of the stuff going on around her to destroy that; she knows that Rebekah is more than likely to be in Stefan's room. She heads straight up and knocks on the closed door lightly.

"Who is it?" She hears her delicate English accent call from the other side.

"Evie," She replies quietly – her super-Vamp-hearing will pick up the words as if she had shouted them.

"Come in!"

Evelyn opens the door to reveal the cluttered-yet-tidy room. It looks just like it had when they had been snooping around just yesterday; knick knacks, trinkets, diaries and various other books and technological items are scattered neatly across a desk, the side-tables on either side of his bed and the chest of drawers placed in front of the window. Evelyn's eyes seem to set on her own figure almost immediately – she gasps as she realizes it is, in fact, Elena.

"What're you doing here? I haven't seen you all day," Evelyn frowns at her sister who is sat reading a book – a _diary_ – on Stefan's bed. She closes the crumpled, dirty brown book and shrugs.

"I came to talk to Rebekah. No biggie," She replies.

"Hmm..." Evelyn decides to drop it – if they were up to something then someone would have mentioned it by now. Caroline is terrible at keeping 'secret plans' from anyone and Tyler is faithful to Klaus' wishes – he proved that back in the classroom; when they were planning to lock Stefan in the Forbes cellars located underneath the Police Station in the centre of Mystic Falls. "When are you going to get ready for the dance?"

"Soon," Elena replies with a small smile. "My stuff is back at the house – I'll set off in ten minutes or so."

"Cool," Evie nods. "Hey... Where's Rebekah?"

"Bathroom," She gestures to the en suit attached to Stefan's room. The Original Vampire chooses that moment to step out of that very room; Evelyn gasps and gawps at her as she emerges in the crimson dress she had shown her on the catwalk yesterday. The dress hugs her figure and the red lipstick matches the colour of the dress perfectly. She is wearing a pair of basic black pumps to match; her fair blonde hair is curled and hangs just above her shoulders; she is smiling which makes her look even more heartbreakingly beautiful. Evelyn feels jealousy sting at her but ignores it.

"God, Rebekah! You look _amazing_!" She beams at the Original Vampire who laughs lightly.

"Thank you!" She turns to admire her hard work in the tall standing mirror.

"You got a head start," Evelyn teases lightly – forgetting about Elena's curious eyes as she speaks to the Original only. "I thought you were waiting for me."

"Embarrassing truth – this is my first High School dance."

"_Ever_?" Elena asks; raising her eyebrows in disbelief. The woman stood before them has been around for a thousand years and she has _never_ been to a school dance?

"I never really had time for High School, before – Nik and I were always... Moving around... _Running._" She chooses her words carefully. Evelyn gulps and grinds her teeth at the reminder of Klaus... It always seems to be when she stops thinking about him that he is brought up! Rebekah shrugs and smiles lightly, "Anyway, I didn't want to leave anything to chance."

"Well you look amazing – I'm sure you would have even if you did leave it to chance," Evie murmurs whilst she crosses the room to the bag hung on the wardrobe. "Is this my dress?"

"Yes," Rebekah nods and heads over to it – unzipping the bag and pulling out the blue satin, short and strapped blue dress that shimmers underneath the lighting. Evelyn smiles brightly as she strokes her fingers over the smooth fabric.

"It's beautiful," She murmurs.

"I know – now, go get ready!" Rebekah orders, "I left my make-up in my room; you can go in there and get changed."

"I will... Thank you, Rebekah. For everything."

"You're welcome," She smiles and gives the doppelganger a one-armed hug. Evelyn leaves the room with a huge smile as she heads upstairs; she starts with her hair. She already has naturally curly hair so all she does is pull it up in to a pony tail and allow some curled strands to fall beside her face. Once her hair is done she does her make-up – she puts on some eye liner, mascara, clear lip-gloss and blush; and finally she undresses and slips in to her short, body-hugging dress and grins triumphantly at the results; she is not one to brag but she does look good... Not as good as Rebekah, in her own opinion, but she does look pretty.

She heads back down the hallway and pushes Stefan's creaky bedroom door open... And gasps at the sight.

"Now _that_ was harsh," Damon _tsks_ at Elena; she is sat on the bed staring in to space. Damon is covering Rebekah's vein-y, grey body with a blanket.

"What the _Hell_?" Evelyn shrieks, "WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_?"

"We can't trust her, Evelyn! It had to be done," Damon rolls his eyes at her – he thinks she is overreacting but Evie would completely disagree, if he voiced that opinion, that is.

"It did have to happen... I'm sorry," Elena apologizes to her sister with tear-filled eyes. Evelyn scoffs in disgust.

"You had to be the one to do it, too. Stop with the water works – it's pathetic," She growls angrily at her sister before going to storm from the room.

"Hey, there is _no need_ to be like that!" Damon hisses icily.

"There is EVERY NEED to be like this, you bastard! Something is going on, isn't it? You have some sort of stupid plan to kill Klaus! _Tell me_!"

"We have no plan!" Elena whimpers sadly, "Look, this isn't making me feel better – I feel bad enough."

"SO YOU SHOULD!" Evelyn feels like her anger has reached a crescendo – she storms over to where Elena is sat on the bed and gets up in her face. "REBEKAH HAS DONE _NOTHING_ TO YOU; SHE WAS SO EXCITED FOR TONIGHT AND YOU HAVE COMPLETELY DESTROYED THAT! She has _never_ been able to participate in something like this... WHY DID YOU _DO THIS_!"

Evelyn does not register that she has drawn her hand back and slapped Elena across the face until Damon is pinning her against a wall, fangs in full view, eyes bloodshot and black veins dancing feloniously. Her hand is burning from the amount of strength she put behind it but she is a _lot_ more focused on the fact that Damon is cutting off.

"Damon, _stop_!" Elena shouts in warning; standing up rapidly, panicking that he may just take her life in the rush of anger that has consumed him. Her cheek is bloodshot from where Evie's palm connected with her face but she welcomes the pain – she _deserves_ the pain. "I'm not mad!"

"She _hit_ you!" He reminds her from behind clenched teeth.

"I deserved it!"

Damon drops Evelyn immediately in anger at Elena's words; as soon as his grip leaves her throat she coughs, heaves and then gasps in as much air as possible. Elena races over to her and hugs her sister protectively – she glares at Damon.

"Just get Rebekah out of here!" She snaps; ignoring Damon's suddenly guilty expression and turning back to her sister who is trying to push her away. Evelyn does _not_ want to speak to Elena, right now... She wants to finish getting ready, go to the Homecoming dance, party with her new friends and forget any of this has happened until she can find a way to un-dagger the Original once again.

...

"What's going on?" Jeremy frowns from besides Evelyn as they climb out of the Ferrari; they walk over to a devastated looking Caroline whilst watching the men and women dressed in illuminous jackets block off the High School from everyone.

"I don't know!" She looks close to tears, "Tyler! _What happened_!"

"The auditorium flooded!" Tyler explains to the three of them; Jeremy sighs and looks away in annoyance, Evelyn curses aloud and Caroline gasps.

"What?" She breathes in disbelief.

"The dance is cancelled," Tyler announces unhappily; he knows how much the whole school dance thing means to his girlfriend.

"Excuse me? Well, what are we supposed to do _now_?" She yells.

"All this work for _nothing_!" Evie growls, "_Damnit!_"

"I can fix this," Tyler shakes his head and pulls the devastated looking Caroline in to his arms, "We can have the party at my house!"

"Okay, just hurry up and get everyone over there – I'll drive up with Caroline," Evie nods.

"We need to find Bonnie, too." Caroline pouts unhappily because of how the night has turned out; she steps out of Tyler's arms and goes to find the Witch with her.

...

"Wow, has he seriously just thrown this together?"

Evelyn, Caroline and Bonnie are all stood in the doorway of the Lockwood family mansion. The house is packed with people – the girls recognize half of them as their classmates but the other half are complete strangers. There are flashing lights emanating through the curtains at the back of the room which leads them to believe that the party is even bigger out in the back. The music sounds as if it is been played live; everyone has a plastic cup or two in their hands – they down their drinks and dance along to the music.

"How did he plan a better party than me so fast?" Caroline almost whines the question due to her jealousy; she spent a whole day putting everything together and this looks so much better than what she had come up with... _Maybe I should get Tyler to join the Committee_, she thinks to herself wryly. "Wait, is that a _band_ outside?"

"Who are all these people?" Bonnie speaks up for the first time since they walked through the door – straightening out her mink coloured dress as she does.

"Where's Tyler?" Evelyn asks Caroline, who is playing with the hem of her red dress nervously.

"I have no idea, but I'm going to go find him," Caroline pushes her way through the crowd before either of the girls can say that they will go with her. Bonnie turns to Evelyn and looks at her with wide, confused eyes.

"I don't know what is going on, either. Maybe if we split up we can look for Tyler as well?"

"Sounds like a plan," Bonnie nods. "Call me if you find him."

"I will," Evie nods with a small smile, "Okay – you look through the house and I'll head out the back."

"Is that because you want to find Tyler or because you want to check the band out?" Bonnie smirks.

"Fine, you got me! I want to watch the band," She giggles before heading through the sea of people. Evelyn greets various party guests and classmates whilst she passes them; she is pleased when she finally reaches the glass doors heading in to the back yard... Her chocolate brown eyes widen at the sight in front of her.

A stage has been set up on the left side of the yard – on that stage is a set of instruments for the band 'My Morning Jacket' who are currently performing for the crowd of students and other unfamiliar people. Behind the band are huge 3D, red shimmering sculptures of the letters in the band's name that have large light bulbs placed on the outside of them – it reminds Evelyn of something out of broad way. Above the clearing used for the event are about seven or eight chandeliers that have been hung on to trees. Twinkling lights have been wrapped around the diamonds and brass frames to enhance the lighting; there are two spotlights on the stage to make the area brighter. Large, dark trees surround the clearing and a gentle breeze disarrays the leaves perched on their branches. Stars and a crescent moon fill the beautiful midnight sky.

"Wow," She whispers – smiling despite her worries about what is really going on. She scans the crowd and gasps as she notices that Stefan and Tyler are conversing amongst them; she immediately begins walking over to them. 'My Morning Jacket' finishes the song and the crowd begin to clap and cheer.

"Good evening, everyone!"

Evelyn freezes instantly; the crowd begin to cheer louder and the doppelganger slowly turns to look at the stage... _He's here. He is really here! _Stood on the centre of the stage is Klaus. He is dressed in a black suit with expensive looking leather shoes, his blazer buttons are fastened; underneath this he is wearing a silver shirt with the top button unfastened and a darker grey tie; it shimmers and turns to purple under the artificial lights illuminating the nature surrounding them. His face is angelic – his pink, perfect lips are turned up in to a mischievous grin but the dimples dotted on his cheeks make it seem so innocent. Evie seems to have forgotten how to breathe.

"I want to thank you all for being here with me to _celebrate_." The cheering increases in volume and Evie frowns; celebrate _what_? "It's been a long time coming!" Evie turns to look at the person who Klaus is staring at – Stefan. His face is void of emotions; he has his poker face on. Klaus steps down from the stage soon after and the band return to their instruments and begin yet another song.

Evie doesn't know what to do... Who to be loyal to. What will the others do if she tells them that Klaus is back in town? They will obviously know, now, though. He just announced his presence to the entire party. She thinks back to Rebekah and fear stabs through her; what will happen if he asks her where Rebekah is? What will he do if she tells him Elena daggered her? Nothing good can come of Klaus been here... As much as she wants to go over and kiss him again she knows it's not a good idea – she will end up saying something she will regret. She is too angry with him; even if that dream did give her some clarity... Klaus had been abandoned by his own mother, his parents had turned him in to a monster – none of this was his fault! It was Mikael's and Esther's! True parents would _never_ do something like this to their children... Her Father _died_ to _protect_ Elena from that life! But he did kill Rebekah's Mother – _their Mother_ – and for that she is furious. She would give _anything_ to have her Mother here... Even if she felt uncomfortable around her she was still her Mom.

Evie heads inside and grabs a drink – she dropped the whole 'I don't drink' act back at the bonfire because, let's face it, if _you_ knew about all of the things she does then you'd want to get drunk. She downs the bottle all at once, leaves it on a coffee table, and then heads back outside and watches the band... Her mind is distant the whole time. Where is Klaus now? What is he up to? Why did he suddenly decide to come back? Her first question is answered when she notices Stefan and Klaus talking to one another – Stefan heads off and then Klaus is left alone, for the time being.

His eyes find hers immediately.

She curses herself inwardly for her stupidity; he stares at her, drinking in her beautiful blue dress that hugs her body in all the right places, the way her hair is pulled back to expose her beautiful olive-toned throat and how her whole body is lit up by the artificial lighting in a way that makes her look like a goddess. She _always_ looks like a goddess, but right now she looks magnificently beautiful. He idly wonders who chose the Homecoming Queen because Evelyn is definitely eligible for that title.

She glares at him, though, and he frowns at this. He remembers their last over-the-phone conversation and sighs in irritation that is directed at himself. She is only human, yes, but he should not have left her waiting and panicking for days without telling her the reason why. He wants to go over but he is afraid of the confrontation that may ignite... But she looks so beautiful, even when she is angry. More so when she is angry; the way she moves makes her seem powerful – almost deadly. She would make a fantastic Vampire. His Queen of Darkness... Klaus smiles; he likes that idea.

Evie turns away from him, but she is not getting away _that_ easily. The moment Klaus notices her movement he moves at Vampire speed so that she is turning to face him. She gasps at their sudden close proximity – her heart begins to thump loud and clear inside her chest; Klaus thinks that the sound of her bodies reaction to him is even better than the music being blasted through the air. Their eyes meet and Evie falls silent; everything has left her mind, at this moment in time. He looks so beautiful and she loves him... It is all so _complicated_. She manages to regain her breath and inhales; the smile on his face widens as she opens her mouth to speak.

"I know about your past... Rebekah told me all about it."

Klaus' smile falters; he glares at her in annoyance.

"My past is just that; I do not like bringing up old times unless it is necessary," He snaps. "But I cannot complain about this – I stopped by at your old home in Charlotte. I found some interesting diaries there... I learnt about your past, too."

"What? How could you _do_ that, Klaus? Those are my _private_ journals!" She yells in disbelief; thank God the music is so loud – no one can hear them... Well, that is what she thinks.

"You may want to tone it down, love – I brought a few friends who definitely have no trouble hearing us," He smirks as the realization and anger crosses her delicate features. Her face twists in to a hate-filled scowl.

"You brought _Hybrids_ here? ARE YOU SERIOUS?" She balls her hands in to fists to stop herself from hitting him and then closes her eyes tightly. She breathes in and out deeply and rhythmically to regain her composure – when she opens them he is stood closer to her than he was before. She can feel his cool breath on her cheeks; fanning out on her face. His scent fills the air around her and she feels his chest inhale against her arms that have somehow managed to wrap themselves around the back of his neck. His hands cup her waist and she shivers from his cold yet satisfying touch.

"I missed you," He whispers delicately – leaning down to speak it in to her ear. She shivers again.

"I missed you, too." She admits despite her previous irritation; he begins to sway their bodies to the music. He smiles down at her and takes one of her hands from his shoulder and holds it in his, she rolls her eyes at their slow dancing to upbeat music and he raises his eyebrows – realizing her mood. He quickly twirls her out and then back in to his body, catching her in his arms so that she is stood at an angle – looking straight up in to those hypnotising green/blue eyes. She reaches her hand up to cup his cheek and he smiles; she giggles.

"I guess I was wrong," He murmurs whilst reading her emotions. "You do love me."

"You didn't believe me?" She asks accusingly as he returns her to an upright position; he shakes his head.

"I didn't think a human could fall in love so fast and easily, especially..." He trails off and looks down at his feet awkwardly.

"Especially because you've done so many bad things?" She finishes off the sentence for him; his eyes return to hers and he smiles sadly.

"So, you know about Mikael?" He asks – changing the subject. She sees that he does not want to talk about all of the bad he has done; she nods... She wants to ask him about killing his Mother but she feels that it should be Rebekah that brings that up. Her death is not really any of her business, anyway. Yes – she will leave that to Rebekah.

"I do," She nods. "Well – I know of him. I have never seen him."

"You haven't? Evie, he is dead!"

"What!"

"It is true," Klaus' smile is beautiful – he is overjoyed to speak these words. "Well, he is daggered but for all intensive purposes he is dead."

"Mikael is your Father... You hate him," She notes and he nods. "Wow – I could never have hated mine."

"You're Dad was a lot nicer than mine, I presume," Klaus chuckles – his smile becomes a frown as he notices that she is shivering. The weather does not affect him anymore but it is bitterly cold outside. "Come – let us go inside," He smirks, "I need another drink, anyway."

"That's fine, I'm going to go find Elena – I haven't seen her yet and I _don't_ think she'll be pleased to see you."

"True," He shrugs out of his jacket. "I spoke to Elena earlier on; she is here. Take this," He holds the jacket up and Evie slips her arms through the sleeves – a blush colours her cheeks as she notices that a few of her classmates are watching them in confusion. Great, her Hybrid lover is going to be school gossip. It doesn't help that he's gorgeous; girls will certainly be jealous.

"You spoke to Elena?" She asks, raising her eyebrows at him. He rolls his eyes.

"Just a fair warning to them – they called me and told me Mikael was dead, I have a feeling that they have a plan... Do you know anything of it?"

"No," Evie frowns, "I'm sure they would have told me if they were planning something."

"Or maybe they would keep it from you so you do not try to protect me," He leans down and kisses her softly. "Which is good – if they are planning something I don't want you playing any part in it; I don't want my girlfriend getting hurt."

"Girlfriend?" She questions, raising her eyebrows at the term he used for her.

"If you will have me," He shrugs like it means nothing to him – like it is nothing but a silly human word... But Evelyn can see it in his eyes; it means something to him. Having her as his girlfriend means a _lot_ to him.

"If you promise not to kill my sister," She smirks despite that being a sick joke on her part; he laughs and pulls her in for another kiss.

"Fantastic!"

...

"Klaus is on to you, you know," Evelyn snaps – interrupting her conversation with Bonnie.

"What're you talking about?" Elena frowns, trying to play innocent. Evie scoffs.

"Elena – I am saying this because I _care_ about you: do _not_ try anything tonight! You _can't kill him_!"

"Oh yeah?" Elena sneers, folding her arms defiantly. "What if we have a dagger from the white oak tree?"

"You what?" Fear flows through her; the emotion is like ice compared to the warm mood she had been in when she was in his arms.

"Don't do anything, Evie! Don't get involved, Klaus _has_ to die!" Elena yells.

"NO! How would you like it if I killed Stefan, huh? I will _hate_ you if you even think about _touching_ him – just like I would hate him if he killed you! Don't do this... Please!"

"Evie, we have to-!"

Ignoring her sister's attempt at an explanation, she runs through the crowd – heading to the house. She has to warn him; to tell him to get out of here! If they have the dagger then that means Mikael is here and Evie knows that he is hell-bent on destroying anything and everything that is Klaus. She thought she may have been able to help capture and kill him yesterday... Oh, how wrong she was.

Just before she reaches the doorway a small, tanned hand rests on her shoulder. Evie turns to look in to the girls brown eyes; she smiles dangerously.

"Hey!" The stranger greets the doppelganger with a smile – she frowns.

"Who are _you_?" Evie asks.

"I'm Sandra... I have orders to take you to him."

"Klaus?" She asks warily.

"No," She smirks. "Mikael."

...

Klaus is stood inside, now. He is minding his own business – tossing a ping pong ball in to empty plastic cups whilst thinking over the scene that played out with _his girlfriend_, earlier on.

"You have a visitor," Mindy breaks Klaus from his thoughts. He smirks.

"Well, tell my visitor that I'm on the brink of victory here!" He replies cockily.

"He says his name is Mikael."

The cocky, arrogant demeanour that Klaus usually portrays disappears as panic and dread fills its place. His breathing becomes laboured – he knew this was going to happen. They must have pulled the dagger out after the phone call or something... But where is Rebekah? Is she daggered, too? The worry gnaws at him as he tries his best to regain some sort of composure.

"Then I must not keep him waiting," Klaus throws the ping pong ball in to a plastic cup, "Move everyone out back – I'm going to have a little chat with my Dad."

Mindy nods at the other Hybrids – they make their way outside just as Klaus wishes. He takes one more drink of his whiskey and then heads in the other direction.

"Tony, you know what to do."

Klaus feels like he is making some sort of descent in to his own personal Hell as he makes his way to the doorway where the man he has been running from is stood. If his heart was beating it would be thumping painfully against his rib cage and adrenaline would be racing through his body. He cannot believe that he fell in to this trap so easily... But why did Rebekah help them? Why did she turn her back on him like this – she was supposed to care about him; or has she been daggered? Both of those options hurt – she is his sister, he loves her.

He does not love the man stood in front of him. Klaus keeps his eyes on the floor as he fights off the lump forming in his throat; he has always been terrified of his Father. He was never somebody who he felt like he could truly trust or love – he has always been controlling: the alpha. The Hybrid recalls telling one of the Werewolves in Tennessee that there was only one alpha here... He keeps that mentality; he will need it for this. Mikael looks no different, really... Yet again, Klaus had not expected any sort of change. His Father is immortal just as he is; they do not age. The only difference is that his hair is a lot shorter and his choice of clothing it a lot more formal – the suit reminds him of one that his older brother, Elijah, would wear.

"Hello, Niklaus," Mikael smirks.

"Hello, Mikael," Klaus greets his step-Father with anything but joy. His Father's eyes are full of the emotion that Klaus' are lacking – he cannot wait to watch his step-son's body burn up in flames; the scream that will fall from his throat will be incredible!

"Why don't you come in? Oh, that's right, I forgot: you can't," Klaus smirks sarcastically, momentarily ignoring his fear. It is quite easy to do when the one person you hate more than anything is stood in front of you.

"Well, you could come outside if you want," Mikael explains politely.

"_Or_ I could watch my Hybrids tear you limb from limb," Klaus would very much enjoy that. On queue the Hybrids that Klaus created and brought along to Mystic Falls crowd around Mikael's back on the grass – they keep a good distance but the threat is loud and clear.

"They can't kill me," Mikael scoffs.

"True, but it'll make one Hell of a party game," Klaus grins devilishly. "All I have to do is rub these two fingers together... and they'll pounce." His charm and cocky attitude has returned; he is safe in the house. Mikael has not been invited in and he will make sure that it will remain that way. The house owner is not here at the moment.

"The biiiig, bad wolf!" Mikael mocks him with a smirk; Klaus drops his hand to his side and watches his step-Father with confused eyes. _How can he be so sure of survival? _"You haven't changed – still hiding behind your playthings... Like a coward."

Klaus doesn't know what to say – he does not really know what he _wants_ to say. Mikael is the only other man on the planet that can stand up to him; who is a _threat_ to him. He does not want to come off as cowardly but... But hiding behind the threshold of this house gives him the protection he craves. He just glares back at Mikael with as much hatred as he can gather; if looks could kill the Mikael problem would have been solved by now.

"Oh, you forget – they may be sired by you but they are still part Vampire; they can be compelled by me," Mikael smiles politely and gestures for Mindy to stand beside him. Klaus looks down at her and then back up at him as fear clouds his mind... He has never been silenced to easily, before. He has nothing to say – he can say or do _nothing_. Mindy tugs something in to view... _Someone_ in to view. Evelyn is now standing beside Mikael; the Original has her arm in his hand so she cannot escape – Mindy takes a step back. Evelyn looks around behind them; the outside world is crawling with creatures that you would never like to meet. The beautiful woman who brought her to him stares straight ahead blankly and emotionlessly; how ironic is it that the man she loves created the woman who is now about to help his Father use her against him?

"Leave him alone!" Evelyn growls through gritted teeth as she notices Klaus is stood in the doorway. She forgets about herself as she sees the terrified look in his eyes; their staring back at her widely, his shoulders are shaking and she gasps as she notices that he looks like he is going to cry. Her eyes fill with tears, too. "Klaus _run_! Get OUT of here!"

"No," He shakes his head and grinds his teeth together. "I won't leave you." He looks up at Mikael with a new-found fire in his eyes, "Let. Her. Go!"

"Come out and face me, Niklaus," Mikael laughs – Klaus' head is reeling. All he can look at is Evelyn; she stares back at him with watery brown eyes; she looks so scared. He has to think of some way to save her life... He would rather be staked than watch her die... _But that is just it, isn't it? _Mikael knows this; he knows that Klaus is in love with the woman in his hands. Klaus has to play along... It may upset her now but it will save her life in the long run.

"Go ahead," Klaus smiles. "Kill her."

"NO! Klaus, what're you _doing_? He'll _do it_!" Evelyn yelps; Klaus' eyes meet hers for a second and then go back to Mikael's. He looked emotionless... _Has he turned his emotions off?_

"If she dies this lot will be the last of your abominations," Mikael reminds him.

"I never planned on using Evelyn to make Hybrids, anyway. Plus I don't _need_ them – I just need to be rid of _you_!" Klaus spits resentfully; if you asked him if he was panicking then he would yell – _scream – _yes but this is the only thing he can think of that will ensure that she survives. If he shows that he 'does not care' about her then he may leave her be...

"And why is that, Niklaus? So you can live forever? She won't stick around, face it – nobody cares about you anymore _boy_," Evelyn can see that Mikael is clearly becoming more and more agitated. All he wants is to kill Klaus; he is dying to drive a stake through his heart.

"He has a _name_, bastard!" Evelyn growls through clenched teeth, forming her hands in to fists as she tries to think of a plan to save Klaus. "And he _does_ have people who care about him!"

"What does he have? _You_?" Mikael looks down at the doppelganger and scoffs, "You won't be much protection; you are a flimsy human... Just a little pressure here and-"

"AHHHHH!" Evelyn's shriek is bloodcurdling, she falls to her knees in agony as the Original squeezes her forearm with his rough, strong hand. The bone _cracks_ sickeningly – a wave of nausea passes through Evelyn and her vision clouds over with black dots as she shrieks agonizingly. Klaus makes an incoherent, strangled cry as he punches through one of the walls, tears fill his eyes.

"I WILL TEAR YOU APART MYSELF!" He roars, still making sure that he is stood in the house.

"Then _come out_ and _face_ me like a MAN!" Mikael spits, pulling the doppelganger to her feet. Her arm looks sickening; the skin is bruising and Klaus can make out some of the bone that is coming through the flesh. For the first time in a thousand years his stomach heaves and he has to inhale sharply to prevent himself from being sick.

"Leave her," His voice sounds so weak – he hates this. "I don't need anybody but just... Just don't _torture_ her," He begs.

"You don't need her?" Mikael laughs, "Who else do you have other than those who's loyal to you false? No one..." He can see just how hard his words are hitting Klaus; he can see the lonely child behind the tough exterior that he has spent over one thousand years creating to protect himself. This girl has brought out his humanity; Mikael couldn't have been luckier. If he had found Klaus about a month ago he would have _never_ reacted like this. The Klaus he came to know over the past millennium would have _never_ cried. "_No one_..."

"D-Don't _listen_ to him!" Evelyn gasps through her pain; Klaus' watery green/blue eyes meet hers and he feels the sickness returning as he watches her tremble in fear and pain; Mikael is still grasping her arm and blood is flowing from the wound. He does not feel the familiar hunger take over; all he can think of is that she needs blood and she needs it _now_! He needs Mikael to leave... He needs to regain his pride. He looks down at Evelyn and feels his heart break agonizingly at the words he knows he is going to say next... But he does not believe his step-Father will do it, of course – he feeds off of Vampires for the soul reason that he hates killing the innocent.

"I'm calling you bluff, Father." He spits, "Kill her."

"Come outside and face me you _little coward_," Mikael hisses impatiently, "And I won't have to do it; I can let your little girlfriend go and you can die, instead." Klaus cannot _believe_ that he is considering this; he never imagined that he would ever give up his life for somebody else. Evelyn shakes her head as soon as she notices the confliction in his eyes.

"No, Klaus! I'd _rather die_! Just run!" She begs, crying for the pain in her arm and the pain in her heart; she would rather Mikael broke her other arm the same way than watch him stake the man she loves.

"My _whole life_ you've underestimated me!" Klaus has tears streaming down his cheeks and he cannot help it; his heart feels heavy and empty in his chest. Panic is stinging every inch of his body but he listens to Evelyn – he has caused her so much pain due to all the deaths she has had to witness at his hands... He understands that she would rather die than witness any more. "If you kill her then you lose your leverage, so go ahead – kill her... Go on, kill her!" Mikael hesitates in disbelief – he had not expected this at all; he thought that he would agree and let Evelyn roam free. Klaus sees this hesitation and loses his patience – he hates waiting for it more than knowing that it is going to happen... He just wants over with so he can wallow in self despair. "Come on, old man – kill her! KILL HER!" He roars, shocking Evelyn from the amount of emotions she can see. _If only the others could see him now..._

Mikael laughs at Klaus' tears and the way he shouts back at him – he finds it amusing that Klaus seems to think that he can fight back. He has _never_ been capable of fighting back; that is why he is hiding behind the threshold right now. He _should_ be out there and fighting for Evie's life, but he is hiding: protecting his own as always. Mikael finds it incredibly shocking that this young girl cannot see that he only cares for himself. The Original sighs.

"Your impulse, Niklaus." Tears stream down his cheeks and Evelyn feels sobs claw through her chest; she never imagined that behind the tough exterior he was so fragile and broken. This _monster_ did this to him... She clenches her fists and glares up at him in hate. "It has and forever will be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great." In that moment Mikael seems almost sympathetic; _caring_. Evelyn keeps her eyes locked on Klaus as he keeps his eyes on Mikael's, keeping a firm control over the sobs that want to escape from his chest.

Mikael cannot wait to see the pain that this is going to cause; he warned him. The Original keeps a tight grip on the silver dagger and plunges it in to Evelyn's back; she screams out in agony, tears stream down her cheeks and Klaus gasps sharply as he watches her eyes lose consciousness. He releases the Petrova doppelganger and allows her to fall on to her front; the dagger is there, sticking out of the bottom of her back grotesquely.

"NO! NO, NO, NO!" Klaus' voice is a strangled cry that is a lot similar to how he sounded earlier; when Mikael had broke her arm. He falls to his knees and chokes on the sobs that he can no longer fight off; this cannot be happening... After one _thousand_ years he has found love and has had it torn away just as quickly. Evelyn's body is terrifyingly still; Klaus feels his horror, loneliness and sadness mix in to one. They all become one unbelievably strong emotion – _anger_. "I HATE YOU!" He roars, heaving his weak, shaking body to its feet. He is about to pounce on Mikael and tear him apart but suddenly an excruciatingly amount of pain rushes through his stomach; he looks down to see the white oak tree dagger and then up in to Damon's eyes. "AAAAAAHHHH!" He cries in fear and pain.

"Katherine?" Mikael attempts to hide his surprise as the Vampire appears from the forest; she is wearing a dress and a black coat... She has obviously been imitating Elena for the night. She smirks at the Original, activates two Wolfsbane grenades and then throws them at the Hybrids waiting on the lawn.

"Baboom!" She grins as they explode and then looks down at the unconscious Evelyn; worry twists her smile in to a scowl. "What _happened_?"

Damon pulls the white oak dagger out of Klaus' body, the Hybrid stares up at Damon with wide, terrified eyes; he needs to save Evelyn – why is he stabbing _him_ when it is _Mikael_ that needs killing? Suddenly Damon is gone; Klaus frowns and looks up to see that Stefan has Damon pinned to the ground. Damon is struggling to get out of his brother's grasp, demanding him to tell him what he is doing and why he is ruining the plan. Klaus' wide green/blue eyes fall to Evelyn's motionless body and the deep, unnerving sadness consumes him once more. Suddenly he notices the white oak dagger is lying beside him; Mikael is stood in the doorway watching Stefan and Damon.

This is his chance.

He grabs the dagger and, as fast as he possibly can, plunges it in to his step-Father's chest. Mikael cries out in pain as the dagger pierces his skin and tears through his heart. He watches as the wooden dagger erupts in to flames – the fire spreads over his body like blood would through his veins: plunging him in to a hellish death. The Hybrid cannot help but think _this could have happened to me_. He takes a deep, steady breath; wipes away his tears and turns to Evelyn.

"Evie!" His voice is so weak as he falls to his knees beside her; he grabs the silver dagger and quickly removes it from her body, wincing at the amount of blood that has stained her blue dress red and formed a puddle underneath her. He turns her around and presses his ear to her chest – hope begins to overtake all of his fear and anger as he realizes her heart is still beating; although feint it is still there. He bites in to his wrist and presses it to her lips, "DRINK!"

Evelyn is still unconscious, though. He does not know if she is actually swallowing his blood or not; the fear of her choking on it has him taking his wrist away from her lips and sitting her up so that her back is resting against the wall of the Lockwood mansion. He takes her broken arm in his hands and the tears re-fill his eyes as he thinks back to the agonized shriek she had made. He looks back at Mikael's burning body and smiles wickedly; as soon as Evie shows any signs of recovery he is definitely going to celebrate the death of that bastard... But right now he has something else to do; he picks up Evelyn's limp body and carries her inside to where Stefan and Damon are – Stefan is stood and Damon is glaring up at him from the ground with a fierce anger in his eyes. He asks Stefan what he has done and Klaus replies for him.

"He earned his freedom," The Hybrid explains; Damon's eyes fall to Evelyn as concern crosses his face.

"What happened?" He demands.

"Mikael happened," Klaus glares down at the Vampire angrily. "Maybe you should have considered just _who_ the real enemy was before you tried to kill _me_!"

"You are and always will be the real enemy!" Damon spits.

"And I like it that way; I can think of many things that I would rather be than your _ally,_" He smiles awkwardly despite his words; he still has tears in his eyes and he can feel them threatening to fall, "Anyway – Stefan... Thank you, my friend; you no longer have to do as I say." With Stefan compelled, Mikael dead and Evelyn in his arms Klaus makes a hasty exit so that no one else can see how broken up he really is. At first he has no idea where he could take Evelyn... He decides on the Gilbert's house in the end; it is not like they can stop him... He cannot be killed, any more. He is _invincible_.

The house is abandoned when he gets there; he should be relieved at this but he is irritated. He opens the front door and smirks at their realization that burglars are not something they should be afraid of. The Hybrid ignores the light switches as he carries Evie up to her bedroom; he can tell it is hers because it is where her scent is the strongest. Once he has her on the bed he flicks on the light and heads straight over to her chest of drawers; he pulls out a pair of pyjamas and places them beside her. He looks down at her arm and feels his legs give way in relief – _IT'S HEALED! _All of his previous pain, sadness and humiliation seems to disappear; _Evelyn is going to be ok_! He heads downstairs to get some water and pain killers for when she wakes up – the only thing that will increase his newly found good mood will be when his girlfriend awakens.

...

Evelyn wakes up with a pounding headache; she is in her bedroom but she does not remember coming home... The last thing she remembers is being stabbed—OH GOD! She shoots up in to a sitting position and feels her back for any wound; there is nothing there. She looks down at the side of her and almost screams as she notices someone is laid beside her... _Klaus_. She is okay, Klaus is alive... But where is Mikael? Did he kill anybody else; what _happened..._? She frowns whilst pondering just what may have happened and feels the questions disappear as she watches him sleep so peacefully beside her... In her bed. She blushes as she notices she is in her pyjamas; did Klaus put her in them?

The doppelganger scans the room; everything is cast in to an orange glow from the sunrise – it must be fairly early in the morning. She spots the glass of water on the side with a packet of painkillers and thanks her lucky stars before grabbing them and taking the largest amount that she is allowed; the water is stagnant but she could not care less. She did not realize just how thirsty she was until now.

"Evie?" Klaus' voice is hoarse from sleep; Evie's blush deepens as she looks down to see him looking up at her with a sleepy smile, "You're awake."

"Yep," She leans down to kiss him softly and then frowns, "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Mikael..." He forces his tired body in to a sitting position and then pulls her in to an embrace; she rests her head on his shoulder and he holds her. "He stabbed you – I didn't think he would really do it... I thought you were dead! Then Damon showed up with the white oak stake and Stefan saved me from death; Damon ended up stabbing me and then dropped the stake when Stefan pulled him off of me. I grabbed the stake and I killed Mikael."

"You did?" Evie gasps and Klaus nods with a vibrant-but-tired smile. She frowns, "You still seem tired... Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"It would be nice..." He yawns, something that makes him look so _human_, "I am planning on leaving Mystic Falls, though... Would you like to stay here or join me?"

Evelyn smiles, "I can't stay – I have to be with you... Although it would be nice if you would attempt to apologize to my friends and help out I can see that it's not an option."

"Definitely not," He grimaces, "They almost killed me... I cannot stand them."

"You know I had no part in that, right?" She asks.

"Of course," He smiles before kissing her once more, "You were willing to give your life to protect me... Thank you; although that was not an option, either."

"I almost did, Klaus. You were going to let me." She reminds him.

"I was stupid," He growls angrily – the anger is directed at himself, of course. "But I-"

"You won't apologize," she interrupts. "I got it – you may have saved me but you're still Klaus." She grins before turning serious once more; her chocolate brown eyes meet his and she takes one of his hands in both of hers, "And even though you may blame yourself for my near-death experience I still want to thank you for saving me."

"You're very welcome," He replies with a small smile. "Now that we have all of that out of the way can we go back to sleep for a while?"

"Yep!" She grins before settling down beside him. She feels his arms encircle around her and smiles happily; despite all of the pain they just suffered it seems that one good thing came out of it (excluding Mikael's death, of course): they have re-discovered Klaus' humanity... Hopefully it is not something that is going to fade away; at least not when he is alone with her. She falls asleep with that same smile on her face – honoured and ecstatic that he trusts her enough with that part of himself.

...

Klaus and Evelyn are currently walking through Mystic Falls High School parking lot; Klaus had his siblings coffins stored here inside the truck that he has been using to cart them around for a while. Today the sky is clear; no clouds are suffocating the atmosphere around them... Evelyn feels that the weather is reflecting their mood; everything is clear and perfect (for now) once again!

"Elena is really mad with me," Evie sighs as she looks back at the car that is holding her suitcase.

"Well, she did discover us in her dead aunts room – the same aunt that I killed," Klaus chuckles; Evie elbows him in the ribs and scoffs at his horrible and nasty attempt at a joke. He realizes it upset her but decides to leave it – she will get over it in a minute or so. Whilst he waits for her momentary bad mood to pass he pulls out his iPhone and calls Rebekah for the sixth time – it goes straight to voice mail.

"Rebekah, where are you? Pick up the phone, darling – Daddy's dead! It's time for a family reunion-" The Hybrid pulls the phone from his ear as a tone symbolises that Stefan is trying to call him. He answers the call and smiles happily, "Stefan! Miss me already?"

"_I'm just calling to thank you for my freedom_," The Ripper replies.

"Well, I like to believe I'm a man of my word... More or less," He smirks devilishly and Evelyn rolls her eyes at him.

"_The thing is it came at too high of a price... You took EVERYTHING from me, Klaus._"

"Let bygones be bygones, _trust me_, resentment gets old." Evelyn watches Klaus and meets his eyes as they stop at the back of the truck they are here for. She mouths the words '_what is he saying?' _and Klaus holds his finger up in a 'one minute' gesture. She nods and steps aside so he can get to the truck.

"_Do you know what never gets old?" _Stefan listens as Klaus opens the back of the truck to find that it is empty; Evie gasps and her eyes widen in alarm; _where are they? "Revenge." _The doppelganger watches as Klaus' smile becomes a frown and then a resentful glare; his expression is dangerous. The Hybrid turns away to avoid Evelyn's stare.

"No," He growls.

"_What's the matter, Klaus? Missing something?" _Stefan feigns innocence.

"What're you doing?" Klaus asks, trying to keep a good grip on his composure.

"_I'm just enjoying my freedom_," Stefan replies.

"I will kill you and _everyone_ you have ever met!" He spits down the phone line; Evelyn's eyes widen in realization – she reaches up and takes the phone from Klaus before he can complain.

"Stefan what kind of sick joke is this? Do you _want_ Damon, Elena and all of our other friends to die? Stop being so childish!" Evie snaps.

"Tell Klaus if he kills them then he will never see his family again... I wonder, for someone who has been one step ahead for a thousand years, were he prepared for this?"

Stefan hangs up – Evelyn turns around and prepares to tell Klaus what Stefan just said but from the look on his face she can tell that he heard everything. She mentally curses Stefan's stupidity; _is he trying to get everyone killed?_


	12. The New Deal

Bonnie stops walking and takes in her surroundings. The last time she was in this abandoned home was when she opened _the door_, enabling the Other Side entrance to their living world. It is still the same – cast in to shadows, decaying walls, cobwebbed and downright _creepy..._ Unfathomable whispers urge her forward; her heeled shoes click against the distrusted wooden floorboards as she searches for the source of the sounds. Beams of light enter the darkened rooms that she walks through as the boards on the windows are slightly broken; they are the only source of light that she has, and even then everything is difficult to make out.

Eventually, her brown eyes are cast upon a dirty once-white wooden door – her fingers enclose the cold iron handle... She hesitates for a moment but pushes her fear aside and enters and comes across a narrow staircase. The Salem descendent makes her way down and in to the basement... Admiring the four caskets that are placed within the room. The largest one catches her eye, and like a moth to a flame she makes her way over... She has been sucked in to a trance like state that she desperately wants to break free of. She kneels down slightly and heaves the dust-covered coffin open.

_Klaus. _There he is - laid in the suit he had worn for the Homecoming dance that took place _weeks_ ago. He looks still, but slight twitches from his eyes and lips prove to her that he is just sleeping... She looks at the two hands held to his heart to see the Original Witches necklace intertwined with his fingers, its delicate antique locket rests on the top of his hands. Despite her horror, she reaches down, her hand is shaking at the fear of him awakening but she feels like she _needs_ the necklace... She almost has it, but a floorboard creaks from behind her. She gasps and turns around, but the horror of being discovered sends her whole body in to a mode of _panic!_

Her eyes fly open; she sits up in her bed and tries to calm her racing heart with deep breaths.

...

Evelyn's eyes flutter open to the sound of hammers and drills. She growls in frustration but decides that it is better to get up rather than silently pray that the builders will shut up. Throwing the quilts aside, she slips off of the double bed – the only furniture within the room – and makes her way to her suitcase... The sad excuse of a house is not much, but she wants to be here... She wants to be with Klaus. After pulling on some black sweats, a navy-blue vest top and a pair of white trainers she ties her curled hair up in to a pony tail and heads upstairs to help with the building. She has nothing better to do.

"Good morning," Mindy grabs a brown paper bag and a thermos before handing them to the doppelganger.

"Hey," Evelyn replies, eyeing the Hybrid carefully before taking the food and coffee. "Where is Klaus?"

"Out; he has business to tend to," Klaus' minion replies, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have workers to compel. Don't leave, he told me to keep an eye on you."

"Yes _master_," Evelyn replies sarcastically before rolling her eyes – the Hybrid just glares at her before walking off. Once she is out of view she makes her way outside on to the extravagant outside grounds of the _mansion_ Klaus acquired about a week ago, finding her car at the end of the path. Car keys in hand, she runs to it as fast as she can, closing the door quietly behind her before starting up the engine – she speeds out of the place as fast as she can, her stomach lurching as the speed sends her head reeling, but if she doesn't speed then Mindy will realize she has gone and probably end up catching up to her... Ignoring the fact that she is dressed in sweats, she continues to drive until she makes it further in to town, stopping in the centre of Mystic Falls. If she knows Klaus as well as she thinks then he will probably be here to chat with Damon, Elena, Ric or whoever else is _presumably_ in the Grill.

Evelyn enters and immediately scans the bar for a familiar face or two. The place is quite busy but she is able to slip through the crowd and make her way to the darts zone, she spots Tony heading towards the bar and then Klaus' back... And then Elena and Damon – both of them look terrified. Evie knows that they will have being anticipating Klaus' revenge, but not in a place like this. The doppelganger has been talking him out of it for weeks, but obviously she hasn't been able to stop the inevitable – just prolong it. She does not feel any better about doing so... She should have just let him do this from the start. _He won't kill them_; it is her only comfort as she makes her way over to them and clears her throat, making her presence known. Klaus turns, knowing who it is immediately... he looks over her appearance and grins.

"Planning on decorating, love?"

"What're you doing here?" She snaps, ignoring his carefree attitude as she meets his lively blue/green eyes with a glare.

"Getting what I want."

"You're not going to hurt them, _love_." She snaps, hissing the last word with anything but affection. He chuckles and reaches up to stroke her cheek, his grin becomes a seductive smirk as he does so.

"Have I ever told you that you look simply _ravishing_ when you are angry?"

Suddenly, the whole atmosphere between them changes. Electricity seems to be passing through the air; the familiar feeling of lust has her gnawing on her lower lip... His touch sends shivers down her spine and the possessive look in his eyes sets her insides on fire. As if he is just that, she quickly pushes his hand away and takes a big step away from him... _No_.

"_Klaus_," She says his name pointedly, scolding him for his constant hints. He has been at this for a while, now – giving her 'innocent' hints, telling her with his eyes that he wants her... _And want her he does_. It has been long enough, he thinks that, anyway, but Evelyn is still... Uncertain.

"I didn't come here to watch you two eye-rape each other," Damon sighs, "Just tell us what you want and get it over with."

"My sister seems to be missing," Klaus says, turning to Damon with an irritated glare. "I need to sort that out."

"A cute blonde bombshell psycho shouldn't be too hard to find," Damon replies, his face is now void of any emotions but Elena looks wary. Evelyn manages to make eye contact with her, but Elena glares at her and looks away. Guilt momentarily consumes her.

"Truth is," Klaus starts walking closer to Damon, "I've grown to rather like your little town... I think I might fancy a home here," He plucks the darts from Damon's clenched fist and walks towards the dart board. "Now I imagine you're wondering 'how does this affect you?'" The Hybrid chuckles, "the answer is 'not in the slightest', as long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves you can go on living your little lives however you chose." He turns back to Elena and gives her a sarcastic smile, "you have my word."

"What more could you _possibly_ want from them, Klaus?" Evelyn comes to stand in front of her Vampire friend and doppelganger sister almost protectively, "They have been through enough – this has _nothing_ to do with them."

"They can tell me where I might find Stefan," He points out, stepping past Evie to stand in front of Elena.

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass," Damon explains, coming to stand in front of Elena.

"You see, that is a _shame_," Klaus aims one of the darts at his wanted target and throws it, the small, sharp object hits the small dark circle in the middle of the board – a bull's eye. The others all take note of this precision; Elena takes a sharp, shaky breath as she watches him turn around, his eyes blaze with anger as he meets Damon's gaze. "Your brother _stole_ from _me_... I need him found so I can take back what's _mine_." He almost growls the sentence; nobody can miss the hint of desperation in his tone. He needs to find them, who knows _what_ Stefan will do with them? Evelyn steps in to him, intertwining their fingers. Klaus' eyes remain on Damon; his brow has furrowed in confusion.

"That sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem," Elena replies confidently, earning a disbelieving look from the Hybrid. His patience thin, he releases Evelyn's hand and begins to walk over to her but Damon steps in the way before he can even attempt to intimidate or harm her. Klaus looks at the predatory young Vampire with a cunning laugh, mocking him with his eyes. As quick as he threw the dart, he leans in to Elena and turns serious.

"Well here's me broadening the scope, _sweetheart_." Elena's eyes meet his burning gaze and she looks away, taking another deep breath to calm her nerves. Klaus thrives off of her obvious fear, grinning at her as she does so.

"Come _on_, Klaus," Evelyn hisses, signalling that this is the end of the conversation. Klaus steps back and looks over at her, shrugging as his features go from a smirk to an innocent expression. Evelyn rolls her eyes and continues to glare at him, and at that moment Tony returns with two glasses of liquor.

"Thank you, mate," He murmurs before turning away and stepping closer to his girlfriend, "We'll be over by the bar, love. I'll tell you when we're leaving."

"Who said I'm going with you?" Evelyn replies just as confidently as Elena had before. The Hybrid chuckles, keeping his eyes on her defiant ones. She gets on her tiptoes and quickly presses a kiss to his lips, and once she has pulled away that same needy look that appeared earlier is back in his eyes.

"Fine," He whispers, "Whenever _you're_ ready." Klaus gestures for Tony to follow him and both Hybrids walk away, leaving Evelyn to wonder if he was talking about being ready to leave the Grill or... Ready for something else.

"You may as well go with _him_," Elena hisses. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Elena, _please_ let me explain," Evie begs as she turns to stalk away from her. Damon picks up his darts, deciding to stay out of this – Elena will do whatever she needs to do.

"Explain what? That you prefer being with _him... _That after _everything_ you still _love_ him?"

"Elena..." Evelyn's eyes begin to sting as tears threaten to fill them. Elena's brown eyes are full of so much hate and anger... She is her sister: the only family member that she has left. She cannot lose her too; she was so worried about losing her to death that she did not even consider that she could lose her any other way, not even emotionally. By staying with Klaus she has sacrificed her relationship with her sister – Elena cannot trust Evie and Evie definitely has not been here for her... When she has needed her the most...

"You can't have both, Evelyn... You're with Klaus and that means that I can't trust you... You just _left_! I woke up one morning and you were _gone_..." Elena's eyes fill with tears, mirroring her sisters. "How do you think I felt?"

"I'm the worst sister ever, I know and I'm so, so _sorry_-"

"Don't apologize," Elena hisses, "You're _just like him_, you can apologize all you want but you'll just do it again. You love him and as much as you try to explain I'm _never_ going to understand..." She wipes her tears away and grinds her teeth, ignoring just how pitiful and desperate her sister's eyes are. "I didn't think that _anything_ could come between family, but this has... _He_ has. Your choice is more than clear."

Evelyn stops cold, her heart breaks at those words as Elena shoves past her and out of the Grill doors. She meets Damon's eyes as the tears spill from her eyes; he merely shakes his head at her in pity before going after Elena. She wants to chase after her and tell her that she_ needs_ her: to explain just how _sorry_ she is for neglecting her the way she has, but what use will that be? Elena needed her and she wasn't around, why should Elena forgive her? Evelyn does not deserve her forgiveness...

"Elena will come around," Klaus murmurs, causing Evelyn to turn around from the spot she froze in. Her guilt and hurt mix in to one, and because she cannot take all of the emotions she is feeling she just glares at him.

"This is your fault," She snaps tearfully. "If you didn't kill my family then _none_ of this would have happened!"

"_Evelyn_," Klaus growls, her anger flares his own temper. "Don't start blaming me for something _you_ did, that will fix _nothing_."

"Don't you _dare_ tell me how to handle _anything_, you're much worse than I am when it comes to family," Evie goes to storm out of the Grill but Klaus grabs her arm before she can make it past him, when her eyes meet his she notices the hint of hurt... _She_ hurt him. She's hurt _everyone_. "Just _let me go_, I want to leave."

"Then let's go," He hisses.

"No, I want to be alone..." She keeps eye contact with him, reading the determination and disagreement – and sadness. "Klaus get _off_ of me or I'm going to make a scene."

"Just _try_ it," He scoffs.

"Oh, is that a _threat_? You're _threatening_ me? Is the 'big bad wolf' going to _hurt_ me?" She laughs sarcastically, knowing _full well_ that she just quoted Mikael, "You don't _scare_ me, _sweetheart._"

"Don't get so _sure_ of yourself," Klaus snaps icily, complete rage clear in every inch of his body language and voice. She can feel his hand shaking with it. "You just crossed a line... Look what happened to my _family_ when _they_ crossed that line."

"Then don't threaten me and _let me go_," She snaps, "I'm not one of your minions, I am your _girlfriend_, you can't order me to do something, threaten me and expect me to do it. Now get off of me and leave me _alone_."

Klaus glares at her for another moment and then unwillingly releases his grip on her arm, watching as she storms out of the restaurant without looking back. She is way too angry to feel guilty about it, right now. Besides, it wasn't all one-sided. He was being a dick.

...

"Hey, Tyler," Evelyn greets her friend as she climbs out of her car, now dressed in tight grey skinny jeans, black ankle boots and a tight fitted black t-shirt; her hair is now down, making her look like Katherine's double... Which, of course, she is.

"Evelyn," Tyler sends a nod her way; she stops short when she notices his sad expression.

"Is everything ok?" She asks, concerned.

"Caroline broke up with me because she's pre-judged the whole 'sired' thing," He replies, "And now it seems that everyone else is, too."

"I'm so sorry," She looks down at the ground, her own sadness is doubled by this news. They had really loved each other; it's such a shame to see this tear them apart... But it _was_ caused by Klaus – it is a well known fact that everything Klaus touches, he breaks. "But don't let it get to you too much, I'm sure she'll get over it. You have an eternity to win her back," She sing-songs, making him laugh lightly.

"True," He grins. "Thanks."

"No problem," She replies, her own smile fades from her lips as she looks up at the Gilbert's home. "Do you know if Elena's in? She made it pretty clear that I'm no longer welcome here, earlier, but-"

"You're not giving up," He finishes her sentence for her and then smiles. "Good, I'm sure that she'll appreciate _that_, even if she doesn't accept any apologies. Elena is very stubborn but she is also very loyal – you just need to give her time; prove to her that she can trust you and you're good to go."

"You seem to know her well," Evie notices.

"I have known her my whole life," Tyler explains. Some sort of focus seems to fade from his expression, after that. Evelyn watches him closely as his eyes become glassy and distant, just seconds later she hears what he must have been listening to.

"Yo, Tyler, come on in!"

Tyler gestures for Evelyn to follow, so she quickly runs up the porch steps and enters the house after him. Elena turns an angry glare on Jeremy before noticing that Evelyn is there, too. Tyler heads straight to the kitchen and takes a seat at the table, but Evie keeps her eyes locked on her sisters. Alaric watches the two girls, sensing the tension between them. Elena filled him in on what happened earlier.

"Did I not make myself clear?" She growls, clenching her hands in to fists as she does.

"You made yourself perfectly clear, but I can't leave it like that, Elena," Evelyn replies sadly. "Please don't hate me... Can we talk upstairs?"

"What's the point? Even if Ric and Jer can't hear what we're saying, Tyler will be able to," She replies.

"Fine," Evie inhales and exhales, pushing away her uncertainty before speaking, "You were right – I am like Klaus, but only in some ways... I could _never do_ what he did to his family, just the thought of hurting you..." She shakes her head, "I couldn't, ok? Just know that I would _never_ go through with anything bad that Klaus asked of me. I _know_ him and I know how to look after myself... So if you're worried about me then _don't be_ – you can still _trust me_, but _don't_ try to kill him."

"It's the only way," Elena spits.

"You're wrong, now _you're _talking like Klaus – he would say the same thing about killing you, Jenna, Mom and... And Dad," her voice shakes slightly as sadness forms a lump in her throat. "'It was the only way to break the curse.'"

"What are you trying to _prove_? You started off sane but now you're _defending_ him again!" Elena yells, "That is _exactly_ what I am talking about!"

"I'm not trying too; I just want you to see what I am going through... I know you won't understand, but I wish you could." Evie feels the tears fall from her eyes yet again as she walks closer to Elena, feeling hope blossom within her as she notices that Elena did not move back. "I don't want to lose you... I _can't_... But I can't lose Klaus, either. I know you said I can't have both my sister and my boyfriend, and believe it or not you do mean more to me, but I still can't pull myself away from whatever I have with him... I _love him_, Elena. I know you think he's a monster but there really is a man in there, he _feels_ and he _cares_... He loves me; I _know_ he does."

Elena's eyes are filled with uncertainty and mistrust, but they are also filled with sadness and tears – this is tearing her apart just as much as it is Evie. Evelyn wraps her arms around her sister and Elena hesitantly returns the hug, Evelyn cannot help but smile tearfully as she does so.

"Thanks, Elena. I can't promise that I won't let you down but I'm _always_ here for you, no matter what." She pulls back and looks her in the eyes; eyes that resemble her own so very much, "_We're family._ Family comes first." Elena just nods and smiles back and then proceeds to take her hand and pull her in to the kitchen with her. When they arrive Ric is stood at the kitchen counters, Tyler is sat down and Jeremy is setting the table. Elena instantly senses the awkward mood... Evelyn slowly sinks in to a chair whilst Elena stands behind one, folding her arms as she does.

"This is weird," She murmurs. "Klaus has Hybrids stalking me and now you're just sitting in our kitchen."

"Look, maybe I should go," Tyler mumbles to Jeremy, but Jeremy places his hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Aww, stay – we're not doing anything," Jeremy murmurs, looking pointedly at Elena.

"Unless you have to, you know, check in with your Hybrid master." Elena adds sarcastically. Evelyn feels the need to defend Tyler, but Elena's temper with her is already on a fine line – _family is more important_, she reminds herself. Tyler just laughs.

"It's not like that, Elena," He chuckles as Jeremy and Alaric take a seat of their own – Jeremy sits on Tyler's right whilst Alaric sits on his left, at the head of the table.

"Tell me, Tyler, what _is_ the difference between being sired and being compelled?" Alaric asks, his interest being piqued at the answer. Evelyn finds herself being fascinated with his reply – she has being wanting to ask for a while, now, but has somehow managed to talk herself out of doing so every time.

"Compulsion... That's just mind control, like hypnosis, and being _sired_ is... It's like _faith_; you do something because you believe it's the right thing." Tyler explains, trying his very best to find a way to put what he feels in to words.

"So you 'believe' that serving Klaus is the 'right thing'?" Elena asks, disbelieving him. Tyler realizes his explanation was not the best, so he tries to redeem himself.

"I_ don't_ serve him," He shakes his head, "Klaus released me from a curse that was _ruining_ my _life_. I _owe_ him for that."

"Well, what if he asked you to, uh... Jump off a bridge?" Ric asks, theoretically speaking.

"He wouldn't!" Tyler stammers, "And even if he did I would be fine – I'm a Hybrid," He reminds Ric.

"Okay, so what if he asked you to rip your own heart out?" Elena asks. Everyone watches as Tyler's irritation increases, he grinds his teeth before answering, his tone increases in volume.

"_Again_ he _wouldn't_!"

"What if he _did_?" Elena repeats, raising her own tone's volume.

"I don't know, then I'd rip out my heart!" Tyler growls, shouting the words at her before looking at both Ric and Elena's disgusted and shocked expressions. "You guys sound like Caroline! You're getting all freaked out over something _you_ don't understand_._"

"You're _right_, Tyler, I _don't_ understand!" Elena looks down at Evelyn, who also looks disgusted, and realizes that she is not misunderstanding this. Evelyn is _Klaus' girlfriend_ and even she is disgraced! "Klaus has terrorised _every single one of us _and you're just blindly loyal to him!"

"You're over-thinking it, I can still make my own decisions," he replies in a calmer tone before sighing. "Look, can we leave it, please? I've still not _fully_ figured it all out myself, yet... But I'm still me."

"_Fine_," Elena mumbles, taking the seat to the left of Evie – across from Tyler. Evelyn wracks her brain for something not Vampire or Hybrid related to talk about as everyone begins eating. Something normal... Something _human_.

"So, Elena, Jer, Ty... I've never heard about your childhood. Tell me about it."

...

Damon pours some of his best Bourbon Whiskey in to two glasses and then hands one of them over to the _last_ person he expected to have a drink with – Klaus. They are in the Salvatore Boarding house, the library, to be precise.

"Cheers, mate," Klaus raises his glass to the Salvatore brother.

"Down the hatch," Damon replies before downing the glass – Klaus merely takes a sip before speaking once more.

"You know we've actually got a lot in common, you and I."

"Really? Well yeah, maybe we can _bond_ over our mutual loathing of my brother and our love for the doppelganger duo," Klaus smiles in humour but says nothing. "Why _are_ you so mad? At Stefan, I mean – he _stole_ something?"

"My family," Klaus replies seriously. "The Originals. I had them daggered and boxed up, awaiting the day when I saw fit to wake them and he went in and pinched the bloody lot." He laughs once, the sound lacks humour of any kind. Damon chuckles.

"Of course he did, ah, such a buzz kill, my baby bro." The Salvatore brother turns away from the window and continues to walk around the room. "Well, I'd love to find him; the trouble is that I sure as _hell_ don't work for _you_." Klaus smirks at this; he turns around to look at the cocky young Vampire.

"You know your drink stinks of vervain so I can't compel you, there would be no point killing you because you're actually the one with the most hope of getting me what I need, and _yet_ it would seem that a demonstration is in order. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I told you to find Stefan... Oh well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence," Klaus pulls his iPhone out of his jacket pocket while he speaks, "why don't you take this as an example of my reach." He holds the phone up to his ear and smiles when Jeremy picks up. "There he is! So that thing I told you to do... Why don't you go ahead and get on with it."

...

"What was that about?" Elena asks as Jeremy makes his way back to the dinner table.

"It was nothing," He replies, returning to his seat.

"I gotta go," Tyler murmurs as he stands, "until next time." He exists hastily, sending a wave of unease through Evelyn. _Something is going down_, she thinks to herself. But no – she does _not _want to think about Klaus right now.

"Help do the dishes," Elena nudges Evie who just nods and begins collecting the used plates and carrying them over to the sink. Ric sighs and gets out of his own seat to pour himself some more red wine and help the twins out.

"So, Tyler Lockwood is a lunatic who has access to our house," Elena mumbles as she begins to fill the sink with warm water.

"I mean this whole sire-bond-thing is... _Wild_; I don't even think Tyler is fully aware of what little reason lays behind what he's saying, it's his weird co-logic."

"It's not just Tyler, it's all of them." Evelyn adds, bitterly and angrily, "Mindy, Tony... They are all blindly loyal to him. I've seen Klaus threaten people to get what he wants but this is something entirely different – it's like they _enjoy_ _spoiling_ him."

"Are you ok?" Ric asks, frowning at the curly-haired doppelganger who exhales to calm herself.

"Yeah, I had an argument with Klaus earlier... It didn't end so well. Stupid Hybrids, they all think they are so powerful. They forget that a wooden stake would shut them up," She snaps.

"Well, great. That's a wonderful influence for you Jer-" But when Elena turns around Jeremy is not there. The other two follow the movement and then frown, noticing that he is gone.

"Huh?" Evie murmurs.

"Jeremy?" Elena calls, looking around. Something catches Ric's eye on the table – he begins to panic.

"That's his ring!" Ric snaps; Evelyn picks it up to check and sure enough he's right.

"Where did he go?" Elena asks, following Ric as he heads outside. The same uneasy feeling Evie had earlier returns – suddenly she is pulling out her cell phone and calling Klaus.

"_I'd rather not speak with you, right now_." He growls.

"What're you up to, Klaus? I swear to _god_ if you hurt _anyone_ else I will-"

"JEREMY!" Evie jumps at Ric shouting her cousin's name; she quickly hangs up and rushes outside as fast as she can. Elena repeats Jeremy's name and when Evie gets outside she sees what has them so afraid – Jeremy is stood in the middle of the road as a black car speeds towards him.

"JEREMY _MOVE_!" She screams, running as fast as she can to try and do something – _anything_. Alaric ends up shoves the sixteen-year-old out of the way but ends up getting hit by the car, himself. The sound of tires screeching and glass shattering resounds through the street as his body connects with the windshield, Ric's body tumbles off of the front of the car and rolls over a couple of times before stopping face-down in the middle of the road... He has cuts and bruises all over his body. Elena and Evelyn are left furious and gasping in the air that they had been holding in their lungs the whole time. Elena reacts before Evie, rushing over to Ric and rolling him on to his back. She feels for a pulse in his throat but there is nothing; the car stops beside her and the window rolls down to show Tony, the Hybrid she had seen in the bar earlier on.

"There I go again, bumping in to people," He chuckles before driving off. Elena is still panting for air and is _beyond_ enraged but she just grabs Ric's hand and checks for his ring instead of doing something stupid. Relief washes through her as she realizes that he has the ring on. Jeremy is disorientated but he stands up, when he sees the state that Ric is in he rushes over and kneels beside him. "He's going to be alright – are you okay?" Elena asks, holding his face in her hand as she checks him over.

"I don't understand..." Jeremy murmurs.

"_Who_ was that on the phone, earlier!" Elena does not ask, she _demands_. Jeremy thinks back for a moment, and then realization crosses his features.

"It was Klaus!"

Elena is shaking now and so close to crying, but she refuses to until they have Ric back inside. "We've got to get him inside, _help me_!" Jeremy nods and the pair of them lift Ric until Jeremy has him over his shoulder, once he has the teenager quickly carries their teacher and guardian inside. Elena goes to follow them in but then she remembers that Evie is still stood on the sidewalk, paralysed with fear... Her face is contorted in to a look of hate, anger and pain. Elena walks over to her and places her hands on Evie's shoulders.

"Hey, he'll be fine – his ring will bring him back," She soothes her.

"I know that," She sobs, "But its Klaus... I didn't think he'd _do_ that... No..." Evie cannot hold it in. After _everything_ he said about not wanting to kill her Father and cause her so much pain, he was about to do it all over again! Jeremy is her cousin and Klaus was going to kill him just to send a message? She begins to cry, the feeling of being betrayed breaks her heart. Elena pulls her sister back in to the house and comforts her, wishing that there was something she could do to ease her pain.

_At least she has realized the monster he really is_, Elena thinks to herself as she hugs Evie tightly.

...

"Here he is!" Klaus calls as he spots Tyler walking towards himself and Mindy, "The man of the hour!"

"So, everything went ok?" He asks, admiring the work that the builders have been doing.

"Tony ran down Alaric instead of Jeremy but apples, oranges, message lands the same," He replies with a successful smile. Tyler's expression becomes angry as he meets his sire's eyes.

"You said you were sending them a _warning_," Tyler snaps.

"And I did: an _effective_ one. If Elena's family suffer she is motivated to get me what I want," Klaus explains as if almost killing Jeremy and _killing_ Alaric meant nothing more than a pet fish dying.

"I didn't think that we'd actually have to _kill_ anyone," Tyler growls. Klaus realizes that his Hybrid still cares for human life; he sighs as if this is awkward for him and places a patronizing hand on Tyler's shoulder.

"Tyler, _mate_, what you're feeling is the remnant of a guilty conscience, I need you to get over it, ok? At the end of the day human life is just a means to an end; our means to our end – you do well to remember that." He explains, tutoring his Hybrid the best way he sees fit. Tyler stares off in to space, lost in his own thoughts. Klaus just smiles and walks.

_What about when it comes to his _human_ girlfriend? _Tyler wonders...

...

Elena enters Evelyn's bedroom with a pair of her PJ's for her to borrow for the night. The straight-haired doppelganger closes the door behind her and looks over at her sister – she is sat on the bottom of the perfectly tidy bed and staring off in to space, her cheeks are still damp and her usually pretty chocolate brown eyes are red and puffy. She is a mess and she does not even care, anymore. She just wants to sleep and wake up to find that Alaric is ok, all of the Hybrids are gone and that Klaus... Well, she doesn't even know. She loves him so much but he has hurt her so much... He may kiss her and open up to her but when she doesn't give him what he wants he threatens her, and that is _not_ the kind of relationship that Evie wants with _anyone_, least of all her boyfriend. Although he has been patient about _one thing_... Maybe it is only when it comes to family? Even so, that is still not an excuse. _Killing her family_ is not an excuse.

"I know asking if you're ok would be pretty stupid right now," Elena practically whispers as she sits beside her. "Are you sure you don't want to go and sort this out?"

"Not yet," Evie replies shakily, her voice on the brink of sobs. "I don't know what I can say that won't get a bad reaction out of him."

"Has he ever hurt you?" Elena asks, immediately jumping to conclusions.

"No, no! He would _never_ do _that_, Elena," Evie defends in such a way that Elena actually believes her. "He really does love me, but he doesn't know how to handle it... He thinks being gentle physically is all there is to it but there is so much more – he cannot go round killing my _family_ and expect me to forgive him for that."

"I know," Elena nods. "And I get it... You love him, and I don't get _why_ but I know it's not going to change." The doppelganger sighs and shifts her position slightly, "Just like me and Stefan."

"You _found_ him?" Evie gasps, turning her head to look at her in disbelief. Elena nods.

"Yeah, I spoke to him... I tried to talk him in to giving Klaus his coffins back but he refused, even when I told him that Klaus tried to kill Jeremy." Tears fill her eyes but her jaw tenses, Evelyn can see that Elena is holding the tears back. "I hit him. I tried, Evie, I really did but Stefan is hell bent on getting his revenge... Even if it gets us all killed."

"I don't _understand_!" Evie growls, standing up in frustration and beginning to pace the length of the room. "Stefan told Klaus that if he kills everyone then he'll never see his family again, so _why_ is he doing this!"

"Wait, _Stefan said that_?"

"Yes, I was the one speaking to him _when_ he said that!" Evie yells, "Why is Klaus being so _stupid..._?" The doppelganger glances at the alarm clock on the nightstand and inhales deeply. "I have to go talk some sense in to him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? You seem pretty pissed off with him right now," Elena murmurs uncertainly.

"Elena, I could quite happily _kill_ him right now, but if I don't then we're going to lose someone who we care about – have you got any better ideas?"

"He's already proved that he does not care whether or not he kills our family and friends so what will talking to him about it achieve?" Elena yells.

"He might _listen_ to me!"

"Are you sure, or is that just wishful thinking?" Evelyn stops, staring Elena in the eyes. Elena can see that her words have really hurt Evie but she had to get through to her – it's the _truth_. "Evelyn, you know I'm right, he just _doesn't_ care... He cares about you because he loves you, he cares about protecting my life because he wants to use my blood but he doesn't care about anything else apart from _his_ family... He's never going to protect ours just because you care about them; _that_ is something he doesn't care about, no matter how much it hurts you."

"I know that," She whispers as tears slide down her cheeks. "I know that all of this is wrong, I just wish it wasn't."

"But it _is_," Elena places her hands on Evelyn's arms and meets her eyes – they are glistening with tears, "You have to accept that... Klaus _killed_ our family, he has taken so much from us and he won't stop – he'll continue until he gets his way. That's who he _really_ is, you _have_ to stop telling yourself otherwise because it's all lies and deep down you _know_ it... You always have."

Evelyn nods and takes a very shaky breath, wiping her tears away as she does so. Once she has calmed herself down she pulls her cell phone out of her pocket, "We need to give Rebekah back to Klaus."

"Are you _crazy_? If we do that then Klaus will _hate_ you – he'll know that you kept this from him!" Elena snaps.

"I know that," She nods, "But it'll make it easier for me, Elena... _Please_ do this for me."

Elena takes Evelyn's phone and presses the call button.

...

Elena hears the two very clear knocks on the front door and takes a few steps towards it, opening it up a little slower than usual as fear sends chills down her spine. Klaus is there, his eyes glisten with that same menacing look he always has. He is smirking, Elena idly wonders if he thinks that he has won his little game.

"Thank you for coming," She keeps her face void of emotions, but really she is scared. Klaus has _always_ scared her, and now Damon is not around he scares her even more... They are at the Salvatore Boarding house – he can enter without permission... Although what she is about to do wouldn't work if he couldn't come in the house. Ignoring her thanks, he shoves past her and then stands in the hallway, not facing her whilst he speaks.

"I trust you have news of Stefan," He murmurs.

"I couldn't find him," Klaus turns to face her at this, confusion evident in his expression. "But I have something else."

The Hybrid can see the worry that is begging to control Elena, right now, but it seems that she refuses to let it. She gestures for him to follow her and he does as she wishes, walking through the hallways of the extravagant Salvatore home before coming to a seemingly secret door – Elena opens it up and leads him down a flight of stairs, they come up to a wooden door and the doppelganger shoves it open, walking straight inside. Klaus stands at the doorway and looks down, pity and sadness overwhelms him as he sees her in what was probably her homecoming dress... Daggered, grey and lifeless, face down on the ground.

"My poor sister, I can't turn my back on her for a moment."

"You have Rebekah," Klaus meets Elena's eyes. "A deal is a deal."

"The life of my sister in exchange for the life of your brother, yeah, I'd say that's a bargain." He walks towards her and it takes everything Elena has to not run. He smirks ever-so-slightly at her fear. "Consider him spared."

"You should know that I'm the one who daggered her," Klaus glares at her in anger, "When she wakes she'll come after me."

"I can control Rebekah," He replies, kneeling down beside her before he speaks again. "Besides, I still need your help finding Stefan." He looks up at her with a teasing smirk, Elena scoffs.

"I already told you I _don't know_ where he is."

Klaus looks down at his sister and then reaches for the dagger; he pulls it from her lifeless body and then sighs. "You're lying... Fortunately you have no shortage of loved ones; if I don't find my family the question you should be asking yourself is 'who's going to die next?' Bonnie, Caroline." He looks up at her with a knowing smirk, "_Damon_." He stands with the dagger in hand and steps closer to her, "It's only a matter of time before Stefan gives me what I want."

Elena smiles slightly in disbelief and shakes her head, "He doesn't _care_ about me anymore," Klaus looks confused as Elena continues, "You made sure of that. _You_ turned him in to a _monster_... Now he's your problem... And just so you know, I'm not the _only_ one Rebekah wants dead – she knows what you did to your Mother."

Elena sees something that Evelyn has been trying to get her to see for so long, in that moment. She sees _emotion_ – sadness, disbelief... She sees that Klaus is heartbroken by this. Elena has _got_ to him, and for that she actually feels quite proud of herself. She gives him a sarcastic, pitiful laugh before walking out of the room. He turns to look at her over his shoulder. "You can let yourself out," She adds.

"_Wait_," Klaus is suddenly in front of her, she gasps as she suddenly walks straight in to him and then stumbles back a little bit; fear causes her heartbeat to increase its pace. "Evelyn... Did she _know_ about this?"

"Yes," Elena nods. "Evelyn knows _everything_ from you killing your Mother to me daggering Rebekah. She was the one who told Rebekah."

...

Evelyn hears Klaus speaking to Rebekah's lifeless body, the sounds of her footsteps and his voice are all that can be heard throughout the large home he has bought for himself, Evelyn and his family. He is heartbroken. Klaus has fought for one thousand years for _this_ moment – falling in love, getting rid of Mikael and spending the rest of time with his family... But that is all gone, now. Evelyn has betrayed him, Rebekah wants him dead and once she tells their brothers then they will want the same thing... _How could she do this?_ He knows that the question is not a good one but he still wants to ask it, anyway. He has done much worse to her; he should have expected this... But he did not. Not from her. Of course he can sense her presence, but he knows what is coming... He wants to prolong the inevitable because despite _everything_ he loves her _so much_.

Evie hears his shaking breaths and decides to enter the room, taking in the scene before her. There are various pieces of old wallpaper that has been taken off of the walls on the floor, leaving the walls an odd green/grey colour. The ground is covered in dust, wooden panelling is stood where the builders are presumably going to put walls in and two red ladders are stood by the doorway and by the far wall. Planks of wood are scattered across the ground of the room, and in the centre there is a makeshift wooden table that Rebekah's grey, lifeless body is laid on... The dagger is in her heart, only it is the front this time.

"You've daggered her again," Evelyn notes from the doorway, looking over at her boyfriend as she does. Klaus' eyes are on the outside world, he is stood by the far window, his whole body stiffens as she speaks and his shaking breaths stop.

"Yes, well, we're better off that way... For now."

Evelyn does not need to see his expression to know that he is beyond angry _and_ upset. She takes her hands out of her jean pockets and walks in to the centre of the room, standing besides Rebekah's dead body but refusing to look away from Klaus. This has being killing her, she wants to scream out of sadness and frustration but that will fix nothing... Klaus no longer trusts her and she no longer trusts him, so where does that leave them? Evelyn knows that she should be speaking these thoughts aloud, but... She can't do this.

"Klaus," She whispers as tears fill her eyes once again. "I know you hate me, but _please_ look at me."

As she asks, he turns from the window until he is facing her. A damp path of tears is clear even in the dim, silvery light from the moon. Just as she admires him, he admires her. He sees the tears glistening in her beautiful doe-like eyes but he cannot bring himself to comfort her right now, he is far too angry... But all they have to do is look at one another to know exactly what they are thinking, she goes to run to him but he is already there and pushing his lips against hers, enveloping her in his arms and intertwining his hands in her soft brown locks. She sobs against his lips as she opens up to him, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck so tightly that she is surprised that he is still comfortable. The kiss is full of so much emotion – anger, passion, sadness... They are in each other's arms yet they feel so alone. Evelyn is the first to pull her lips away; she remains on her tiptoes as Klaus presses his forehead to hers.

"Klaus-"

"I already know what you're going to say, and you're right... It is for the best," He whispers shakily. "We cannot be together anymore."

"I'm so sorry for not telling you about Rebekah, I was stupid to keep that from you... But I did it to protect Elena; I will _always_ protect my family... And as for trying to kill Jeremy," Tears slide down her cheeks and her expression becomes bitter and angry, but she does not pull away, "How could you do that to me after _everyone _you've already taken from me?"

"I wanted to send a message," He replies. "His life means nothing – a means to an end."

"You're wrong," She spits. "You're going to live a very lonely eternity if you look at _us humans_ that way."

"I'm not going to live for an eternity, anyway," He laughs, but tears are falling down his cheeks again as he pulls away from her. "You told Rebekah about what I did to my Mother, once she tells my family they'll find a way to kill me!"

"She had to know!" Evelyn speaks words that she does not really agree with. "And why should I even care, you don't care about my life? I'm only here to benefit you in the future!"

"You _know_ that's not true!" He growls viciously, "I _LOVE_ you!"

"You do?" She sobs, "Then why are we having this conversation?"

"Because you _BETRAYED ME!_" He roars, grabbing her and pinning her against the wall at a speed she cannot comprehend – all she can see is Klaus' angry gaze, how his eyes turn from blue/green to onyx-and-gold, the veins begin to dance under his eyes as his fangs elongate. "_YOU_ HAVE RUINED ME, EVELYN! I SHOULD HAVE _NEVER _FALLEN IN LOVE IN THE FIRST PLACE, EVERYONE I LOVE ENDS UP HURTING ME; I WAS STUPID TO THINK YOU ANY DIFFERENT!"

"DIDN'T YOU BEGIN TO EVEN CONSIDER _WHY_ EVERYONE ENDS UP HURTING YOU?" She argues back, screaming the words as she fights against his tight grip on her arms, "_YOU _RUINED YOURSELF, _YOU'RE _THE ONE WHO KILLED YOUR MOTHER, DAGGERED YOUR SIBLINGS AND DESTROYED MY FAMILY!" She sees that he is furious, he is shaking – it takes everything in his power to _not_ tear her heart out he is _that_ angry. She remembers what he said earlier and decides to use it against him, this time. "So don't start blaming _me_ for something _you_ did... that will fix _nothing."_

"Get out," He releases her, fighting back the tears as he takes a few steps back. "Leave, just _run_, because if you stay any longer I'm going to end up _killing_ you."

"Do it!" She sobs, "It's not something you haven't done already, you killed Elena, what makes me so different!"

"I SAID GET OUT!" He roars, his face shifts back in to that of a Hybrid.

"_STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!_"

He cannot control it anymore, he pushes her against the wall once more and she screams as he bites in to her throat, growling as he drains her blood. She did not think for even a second that he would do it – she should not have been so stupid to believe otherwise... But her staying here was a test; a test he has _failed_. The bloodlust has consumed him, the monster within is trying to take over – he does not want to feel this pain, all this anger and loneliness has drove him insane, and now she is leaving him, too... He cannot take this, anymore.

"KLAUS YOU'RE GOING TO _KILL ME_!" She roars; her voice is _so weak_ as she does so. The part of himself that feels for her has him dropping her; panic overtakes the bloodlust as he realizes what he has done... He spits out the remaining blood as if it is poison and kneels by her side. Grabbing her wrist, he quickly checks for a pulse... Slow, unsteady, but there it is. He quickly bites in to his own wrist and forces it to her lips, she is disorientated and dizzy but when the warm liquid fills her mouth she swallows it. After a moment he tears his wrist away from her mouth, the anger returns but he returns to the far window, waiting until she stands up to turn back to her. Tears are streaming down her cheeks as she holds her hand to her neck, horror and disgust is all she feels for him in this moment.

"Now _get out_," He spits, watching as she runs without looking back... It is then that he really does cry.

_He has just lost her forever._

...

_Pleeeeeease don't hate me! I know you were all looking forward to Klaus/Evelyn & I just broke them up but I feel like they have been ignoring all the things they have done to upset each other too much, & bear in mind that bad break-ups make for epic make-ups. ;)_


	13. Our Town

_Sorry this is a day late, I wrote 6 pages & then decided to re-write it again... ANYWAY, now it's here - enjoy! PS. THANK YOU REVIEWERS! I love youuuuu!_

...

The doppelganger jolts awake, frightened as she gasps for oxygen to fill her burning lungs. She cannot remember _what_ she dreamt about, but whatever it was it must have been very frightening. With her heart racing inside her ribcage, she inhales deeply to attempt to calm herself. She feels very confused and disorientated – _when did I get back to the Gilbert's house...? _Evelyn cannot remember making it through the front door, or back in to _town_, for that matter. Her brow furrows as she gets out of bed, she stumbles slightly before regaining her balance and heads in to the bathroom for a morning shower.

The warm water cascades down on to her aching body, but it does not soothe her as it usually would. This only causes her confusion to deepen – is she sick? She cannot remember being ill for a while, so maybe that is the case. She shrugs it off and quickly finishes up in the shower, dries her hair in to its usual curls, applies her make-up and pulls on some red jeans, a white t-shirt, a red cardigan and some white flat shoes. Once she is ready the doppelganger makes her way downstairs, sulking because she left her schoolbag at Klaus' – something her teachers will not be too pleased about.

_Klaus_.

Her legs give way as the memories of last night pass through her; the emotions that come with it hit her with the force of a tsunami. He broke up with her before she could get to it, and having broken up with her _he bit her_... _HER_: The woman he is _supposed_ to _love_. Evelyn had trusted him enough to believe he would never hurt her, and then he went and diminished it... That fraction of trust she had is now gone; he nearly drained her dry... Tears of rage and betrayal fill her vision, making it blurred. Growling to herself, she squeezes her eyes shut and fights off the offending droplets – she _refuses_ to cry, she is stronger than that. Klaus may have broken up with her and bit her but she can brood about that later... She feels too _weird_ to focus on her problems with Klaus, right now.

"Morning," Jeremy greets Evelyn with a smile before opening up one of the top cupboards. "Want some coffee?"

"Please," Evie nods, trudging up to the refrigerator and opening it up. It is not until her stomach growls at her that she realizes just how hungry she is – the brunette grabs some leftover nachos from last night and digs in immediately. Jeremy finishes pouring the coffee in to two mugs and turns around, chuckling at the view of Evelyn practically shovelling the leftovers in to her eagerly chomping mouth.

"Calm down, Evie, you don't want to be sick," He places the mug down on the island and Evelyn's eyes fall on to it – the nachos are not helping, and the view of the warm liquid suddenly has her _really_ thirsty. She grabs the mug and begins to drink, wincing as the coffee burns her mouth and throat. When she pulls the mug away from her lips it is empty, and Jeremy is staring at her with wide, uneasy eyes.

"Evelyn, are you ok?" He asks.

"I don't know, I've felt weird since I woke up this morning... I'm so hungry and I feel all confused, and my body aches." She looks up at her cousin with tear-filled eyes and Jeremy immediately walks over to place a comforting hand on her back.

"Hey, you're going to be fine, don't worry. Why don't you take the day off and see if you feel better later on?" Evelyn shakes her head vigorously at Jeremy's question – being left alone for six hours with nothing but her tear-inducing thoughts? _No thank you_.

"No way, I've got too much to think about." She forces a smile as she looks up at him, "I'll be fine; don't worry about it."

Jeremy is still uncertain but he decides to drop it – after he quickly finishes his own coffee they head to the door. As soon as her cousin opens it Evelyn yelps, squeezing her eyes shut as she places her hands over the closed lids. Jeremy is at her side immediately, telling her that he is going to _make_ her stay at home – Evie heads back in to the kitchen, fishes through a drawer and pulls out a pair of sunglasses.

"I'll be fine," She replies determinedly. "I am definitely sick but I _want_ to go to school – I'll go see a doctor later."

Even more uncertain, Jeremy agrees but demands that she travels to school with him, today – to appease him she allows him to take her... She doubts that driving is a good idea just as much as he does. _What's wrong with me?_ She repeatedly asks herself as they travel towards Mystic Falls High School. The ride seems to be much shorter than she had hoped: soon enough Jeremy is pulling in to a parking space and shutting the car's engine down.

"Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Jeremy asks doubtfully, looking over at Evelyn who is massaging her throbbing temples. Her head hurts.

"Yes," She snaps before climbing out of the car, slamming it shut behind her and then wincing as she sharp _slamming_ noise sounds more like a screech to her sensitive ears. As soon as she gets out of the car the scent of iron hits her; she frowns, looking around for the source of the metallic smell – aside from the cars there doesn't seem to be anything, but it is _definitely_ there. Shaking her head, she rushes in to school and instantly searches for Elena – she finds her almost instantly; she is stood in front of Caroline's locker, straightening out a cardboard banner.

"Evie!" Elena smiles as she sees her twin sister walking towards her. She admires the sunglasses she is sporting with raised eyebrows, "I never thought you were the type to wear shades inside."

"Yeah, I decided to be a little unique today," She fakes a smile to hide the pain she is in and then admires Caroline's pretty pink-and-purple decorated locker. The 'Happy Birthday Caroline' banner has her smile falling from her lips. "Oh _damnit_, I forgot all about Caroline's birthday!"

"Its fine, I'll just tag you on to the end of my card," Elena giggles whilst admiring her artwork. "How does it look?"

"Perfect – but is Car even _here_, I haven't seen her," Evie murmurs, frowning. It's not like Caroline to miss a celebration – especially one for herself.

"She'll be here-" Elena is cut off by the first school bell of the day. With a sigh she grabs her schoolbag from the floor and pulls it over her shoulder, "Anyway – enough about Caroline's birthday. Let's get to homeroom and you can tell me _everything_ about what happened with Klaus last night."

_Great_, Evie thinks to herself as Elena grabs her wrist and pulls her through the sea of students. The scent of iron becomes stronger as they travel through the crowd, and oddly enough it is starting to become... _Tempting?_

...

Klaus takes a sip from his rosé wine as he stares down at his desiccated little sister. She is dauntingly still – not a flicker of her eyelids or a rising and then falling of her chest that signals breathing can be seen. She is sleeping, but she is not at peace. Her face is twisted ever-so-slightly in to a grimace of pain from having a dagger set deep in to her heart. The guilt is the most painful part of doing this – he hates it; _despises it_. His anger makes him impulsive; it is only until after the deed is done that he realizes the effects of his decisions. That is why he bit Evelyn.

He inhales sharply at the sharp sting of guilt and sadness at the memory. Her terrified and disgusted facial expression plagued his dreams – but what is done is done... Evelyn hurt him by betraying him, telling his sister that he killed their mother and then not telling him that she was daggered in the Salvatore's cellar really pissed him off – and then she was going to break up with him. Klaus _does not_ get broken up with: he beat her to it. _Unfortunately_ it was not as simple as that, because he still loves her just as much... He never imagined that waking up without her by his side could make him feel even more alone than he already had, but it did. He has felt _beyond_ remorseful ever since he watched her run out the door, last night... But what would apologizing do? She will _never_ forgive him...

He has hurt everyone he loves. He has destroyed their lives, and deep down he knows that, as much as he tries to make up for it, he _never_ will. Killing their mother, their father, daggering his siblings, almost killing Evelyn... Why _does_ he keep everyone at arm's length? Why did he let Evie in just to push her away again? He already knows the answer, but he wants to keep these questions rhetorical, for now. He may be in a brooding mood but he will not fall too deep in to the pit of despair. He will not wallow in his own grief. He reaches his free hand up to the coffin lid and closes it, forcing his neutralized sister in to darkness. Placing his hand above the lid, he inhales slowly.

"Sweet dreams, Rebekah." He almost whispers, grief evident in his whole demeanour. Mindy steps forward from where she had been leaning against the wall and looks up at Klaus expectantly – he turns to her. "Show her to her room, would you, love?"

"Sure," Mindy sighs before walking around the casket, pushing it out of the room to leave the hybrid alone with his wine. After swallowing the last drop, Klaus goes to head in to the other room to refill his glass – and then he catches the familiar scent of _Stefan_. He forces a bitter smile on his face and keeps his eyes on the ground.

"I'm surprised you're still in town," He murmurs. "I gave you your freedom, you could've gone anywhere." The hybrid turns from where he was unfocusedly gazing at the ground and walks in to the room, seeing that Stefan is stood with his arms folded; leaning against part of a wall with small square windows placed within it – Klaus becomes tempted to wipe that cocky, superior smirk off of the _child's_ face.

"I live here, Klaus." Stefan replies chirpily.

Klaus takes a step down in to the room and scans it for his glass of wine as he speaks; "Well, if we're playing this game, uh, I was here first."

"You know, I don't like your hybrid friends. They're everywhere. Kind of like _fleas_..." He makes eye contact with the Original, who has found his bottle of wine. "I want them gone."

"Yeah well, uh, I kind of like having them around." Klaus replies, only his eyes give away the true anger he feels towards Stefan's blatant lack of respect. The vampire is still smirking; he looks as though he wants to laugh. Despite the calm front the hybrid is putting on Stefan _knows_ how weak he is, right now. The vampire _hmms_ in response and Klaus begins to walk a little bit closer to him. "You know I'm hurt? I had hoped that I'd free you and we'd pick up where we left off." He pours more wine in to his glass whilst speaking, "but here you are – guzzling vervain like the rest of them, I'm sure." He raises his glass to Stefan sarcastically, "So much for friendship."

"_Friends_ don't strip friends of their free will," Stefan explains, keeping his eyes on Klaus'. The hybrid looks down at the floor; guilt briefly crosses his features before he grins.

"Ok, granted, yeah that was a little extreme – I get a little moody; just ask my siblings," He turns towards the door where Mindy and Rebekah's body had excited. "Speaking of whom... Isn't it time you handed them over?" Klaus makes eye contact with Stefan once more, keeping his face void of emotions. He is serious, now. No more games. Stefan sees this, but he does not really care.

"Klaus," he speaks his name patronizingly. "Get your hybrids out of Mystic Falls or I will remove them myself." Stefan's smile only edges the Original on – he wants to tear this disrespectful brat's heart out.

But he _can't_. He _mustn't_.

"You see, if you continue to threaten me then I'm going to be forced to retaliate. Kill people; and it will get messy, _again_." He warns, smirking ever-so-slightly. Stefan just shrugs.

"Do whatever you want, I don't really care," He gasps, "Or do you know what? Maybe I do... Yeah. Maybe I care so much that I drop Elijah in the Arctic."

"Well, maybe I'd be willing to lose one brother if it meant killing yours." Klaus smirks confidently.

"Try me, let's find out." Stefan's face is so full of an evil sort of humour that Klaus has to laugh slightly in disbelief – he knows that this is the ripper but _surely_ he still cares for his _brother_...

"Or maybe Elena – I no longer have to worry about her death now that Evelyn is gone. I can always use _her_ blood when necessary." Klaus feels slightly successful, until he notices that Stefan continues to look at him with that amused expression, as if this game is nothing but _fun_ to him.

"Or maybe_ I'll_ kill Elena and then turn Evelyn in to a vampire... She does have _your_ blood in her system still, right?" Klaus feels his anger becoming rage at this – luckily Mindy walks in at that moment, stopping him from decapitating Stefan as he _so badly_ wants too.

"Is everything ok?" She asks her master, walking over to stand beside him.

"Everything is fine, Mindy. Stefan was just leaving after failing to make his point," Klaus grins at Stefan sarcastically. Seeing that Klaus is still not taking him seriously, Stefan strikes. He slices Mindy's head off with one of the razor-sharp tools that have been used to work on the house. Klaus stares down at Mindy; his eyes are glassed over with a slight sense of shock and disbelief. Stefan's expression is daunting – he looks so _content_ now that her body and head have been separated.

"Well, one down." Klaus looks up slowly, the rage directed towards Stefan is completely visible – he cannot even bring himself to put on a poker face, after witnessing _that_. "You may want to send the rest of them away before it gets messy... _Again_." With that, Stefan throws the tool on to the wooden make-shift table and leaves Klaus to plan out what he can do next.

_First task: keep Evelyn human_.

...

"SURPRISE!"

Caroline jumps slightly before turning around to see that Bonnie, Matt, Elena and Evelyn are all stood in her hallway. Bonnie is wearing a cone-shaped birthday hat and holding a banner that reads 'Happy Birthday Caroline', Matt is stood behind the girls with a party hat like Bonnie's atop his golden hair and some yellow and pink balloons in his hands, Elena is wearing a purple feathered tiara and Evelyn is stood to the side, forcing laughter to hide the pain she has being going through _all day_.

"What're you guys doing here?" Caroline asks, still a little shocked.

"Well, you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so..." Elena removes the feathered tiara and places it on Caroline's head.

"Change in to some warmer clothes, we're going to the Falls," Bonnie orders with a smile. "Smores, camp fire-"

"Cake!" Elena smiles excitedly.

"Like we were little," Bonnie adds.

"Except with Tequila!" Matt adds in a sing-song voice, making Caroline giggle.

"Aw, thanks guys, _really_... Um, I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year."

"I'm sorry, _what_? We've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favourite day of the year!" Bonnie yells.

"_Yeah_, and now it's just a reminder that _technically_ I'm dead." Caroline snaps; the false smile she had put on falls from her lips. "Look, I didn't even like seventeen – the only point of seventeen was to get to eighteen: it's a filler year... I'm _stuck_ in a filler year-"

"You're not stuck, Caroline." Evelyn speaks up for the first time, walking over to comfort her.

"Yeah, I am." She sighs, resting her head on Evie's shoulder. "But it's okay... You know, it's all good, I will be _fine_... But I just need some time to wallow in it."

"Ok, well I think I have _another_ idea." Elena smirks, "how about we go grab a few things and head to a secret location?"

"Elena-" Caroline whines, but Elena holds up her hand.

"No arguments, _trust me_ you'll like this. Matt, Bonnie, let's head back to mine – Evelyn will keep you company," She looks at her sister's slightly pained expression and frowns. "Take care of her, would you? She's not feeling too good."

"Fine," Caroline sighs, turning to Evie as the others all leave her house, chuckling and giggling as Elena whispers to them her 'big idea'. Once the door has closed Evelyn falls to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. Caroline had just walked over to her bag, but when she hears the doppelganger falling to the ground she spins on her heels and gasps. "Evie, are you ok?"

"No, Car." She whimpers, tugging the shades from her face and throwing them across the room. "I feel so weird... I feel weak, my body hurts, my eyes are so fucking _sensitive_ and I'm so _hungry_ and all I can smell is iron and it smells _good_ – I want it!" The pain is becoming unbearable and she is so confused – she had eaten three plates of food at lunch and none of it had done anything for the deeply unsatisfied and newly awakened hunger within. Caroline kneels down besides the doppelganger, taking her tear-streaked face in her hands and staring in to her eyes... They look _very_ unfocused; she is starving, scared, confused...

"Oh my god," Caroline jumps away from Evie in shock, clasping her hands over her mouth as she realizes what is wrong with her.

"W-What?" Evelyn asks in a small, terrified voice. Caroline just stares at her, shaking her head in disbelief as tears trickle down her own cheeks. "WHAT, CAROLINE!"

"Evelyn..." She inhales deeply, trying to calm herself so she can speak properly. "Have you got... Well, have you drank any vampire blood, lately?"

"What?" Evie frowns in annoyance, "No... Well, wait... Last night. Klaus fed me blood... Why?"

"You're... Evelyn, I think you're in transition."

...

"What do you want me to do with her head?" Daniel asks, interrupting Klaus from his planning.

"Just get rid of it – burn it, I honestly don't care, Daniel." He replies, giving him a warning look. The hybrid shrugs before walking away. Tyler chooses that moment to enter: he looks down at the suspiciously blood-covered makeshift bag that Daniel is carrying around and then up to Klaus.

"You called?" Tyler asks, letting Klaus know he is here. "I'm here," He says after a moment of being ignored. Klaus looks up as Tyler gestures to the blood on the ground. "What happened?"

"'What happened' is Stefan had two paths in front of him and he chose the one that made me angry; I need you to help me do something about that," the Original explains.

"Can't you just leave me out of it?" Tyler asks tiredly.

"What would be the point in that?" Klaus mumbles.

"Seriously, man, can't you just get one of your other hybrids to do your bidding? I've lost my friends, my _girlfriend-_!"

"Right, your girlfriend... Um, about her: I need you to _bite_ her."

"_What_?" Tyler's voice rises in pitch slightly as he looks at Klaus as if he has gone _crazy_.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

"A hybrid bite will _kill_ a vampire!" Tyler reminds him angrily.

"Yeah, I know exactly what it will do. Stefan pushed me too far so I'm pushing back," He grins.

"I'm not _biting_ Caroline!" Tyler yells, glaring daggers at the Original. Klaus looks at the ground, smiling at his response.

"Tyler, I've been supernaturally blessed with the good fortune of the sire bond to you, so one could consider this me putting your undying loyalty to the test."

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" Tyler growls, standing up to his sire angrily, "I'm not _hurting_ Caroline!"

A slow, cruel smile appears on Klaus' lips. He stares in to his hybrid's eyes, an idea forming. "Alright, alright." He turns away and looks down to the ground, feigning disappointment. "I'm disappointed but, you know, it's your choice – free will and all that. I'll find another way to strike at Stefan... You can go, now."

A strange feeling starts formulating within Tyler; the hybrid's expression becomes confused as the _guilty_ feeling nags at him. Pushing it aside, he leaves the room... Klaus smirks.

_He'll do it_, he tells himself confidently.

...

"What do you _mean _I'm in _transition_!" Evelyn shrieks, panic consuming her as she begins to quiver – the doppelganger pulls her knees to her chest as tightly as she can whilst staring up at Caroline with watery, fearful eyes. "I never _died_!"

"Did Klaus kill you?" Caroline asks desperately, "Come on, Evie – think back. What's the last thing you remember before you woke up?"

Evelyn cannot think straight, she is about to have a mental breakdown – she doesn't want to be a vampire; this can't be _happening_ to her! "I-I don't _know_! Klaus bit me but he f-fed me his blood, I left his house a-and..." She frowns as tears slide down her cheeks before realization crosses her features. "Someone grabbed me – I was about to walk in to my house and someone grabbed me... I don't remember _anything_ after that!"

"Evie, someone snapped your neck," Caroline explains – sending a disgusted shiver down the doppelgangers spine.

"WHO DID THIS TO ME?" She shrieks, "NO! I CAN'T BE A VAMPIRE! I DON'T _WANT THIS_!"

"I know, I know!" Caroline falls to Evelyn's side as the doppelganger snaps – she breaks down completely. Caroline finds herself crying for Evie as she holds her shaking, sobbing and shrieking body to hers, doing everything that she can to calm her down. After ten minutes or so the weakness that has being building throughout the day has Evelyn's sobs diminishing in to slight jumps of her chest, the tears stop falling as she keeps her eyes closed tightly, clinging on to her friend desperately as she thinks about all of this... Klaus' blood did this... Klaus' _bite_ caused this... But who turned her? Who _killed_ her? What are they going to gain from this? Was it _Klaus_?

"I'm dying, aren't I?" Evie whispers to her friend, she can feel Caroline nod.

"Yes," She replies.

"I knew it... I can feel it. My energy has been draining all day – that's why I feel so ill."

"You don't have to die – we still have time. I can go get you a blood bag; I have a stash in the freezer... It's not _all_ bad; being a vampire." Evie pulls away from Caroline and sighs shakily, looking up at her through her tear-covered eyelashes.

"What's good about being a vampire?" She murmurs; her expression makes it clear that she thinks of it as a curse rather than a gift.

"Well, everything is clearer – your vision is much more defined; your sense of taste, your sense of hearing... I swear I can hear things from _miles_ around," Caroline smiles, "Your emotions are heightened, too. You feel so powerful, and when you're in love it feels like... Like you're _floating_ – like _nothing_ can hurt you."

"And then there's the blood thirst," Evie's voice falters as she says it. "The thirst I've been feeling all day – that iron scent... It's the smell of blood, isn't it?" Caroline nods her expression go sombre as Evelyn frowns. "Is the thirst bad?"

"I won't lie... Yes. It's _always_ there, Evelyn. Every time I am around a human all I want to do is _bite_ them and drain them dry, and Damon said that _never_ changes, but I guess it's worth it... At least _I_ think it is. Sure, pain is intensified and I guess I'm going to have to watch the people I love die, eventually." Caroline's eyes become slightly watery as she speaks, "I do wish I'd never been turned, but I guess it happened for a reason – it's made me appreciate everyone around me, and to let them know that I appreciate them. Becoming a vampire has been a nightmare, but I've come out of those transitioning days a better person."

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Evelyn asks, barely whispering the words. Caroline's eyes meet her own, now. The blonde nods.

"Yes, I did... I didn't have anyone to help me – I knew what I was because I'd been craving blood _all day_ but no one had tried helping me. I killed someone, but then Stefan took me in and he taught me that there are better ways to live – that we don't have to feed from people. If you chose to turn then _I_ can help you," Caroline stands up and holds out her hand; Evelyn stares at it, still uncertain. "I won't let you kill anyone, if that's what you're worried about – I _promise_. You won't be alone with this."

"But Elena," Evelyn begins to sob again, "Elena will hate me and _Klaus_... I don't _want_ to be sired to Klaus! He will make me hurt someone to get to Stefan, Car! I can't!"

"You don't _know_ that," Caroline shakes her head as she pleads Evelyn with her eyes. "I won't bring out a blood bag unless you're one-hundred-percent sure that you want to turn, but I will be selfish enough to talk you in to it because although you think Elena will hate you _she won't_! Evie, you're her _sister_ and she has already lost so many people to death... We all have, and losing you will make everything worse... And although it seems like Klaus could be a problem, I'm sure he loves you too much to ever make you do something that will make you hate him."

Evie smirks, "Klaus fed on me against my will, last night. If _that_ doesn't make where I stand with him perfectly clear then I don't know _what_ will."

"What a _dick_!"She shakes her head after a moment and focuses on the problem at hand,_ "_Isn't it just hybrids that are sired to him? I haven't heard of any human-turned-vampires that have been kissing his ass the way those wolf-turned-vamps do." She scoffs, thinking about Tyler.

"I don't know, but is that a risk we're willing to take?" She asks.

"Evelyn, it's not my decision – is it a risk _you_ are willing to take?"

She sighs, her eyes glaze over as she thinks back to the day she arrived in Mystic Falls – never in her wildest dreams would she have _ever_ imagined that it would all turn in to this. She was once a human who had an unwavering adoration for her father, who had friends and was immensely popular... And then her Dad died, and she died, too. The popular, spunky Evelyn Gilbert became bitter and sarcastic, she pushed all of her friends away to the point where none of them will even care that technically she has gone 'missing'... She wonders if they have even asked anyone where she is, now.

Alone and confused, she came here – to a small town that she only presumed her Dad may have visited before his death. She found an address that lead her to the house where she soon discovered that her twin sister and her cousin lived; Elena and Jeremy Gilbert. Elena had been adopted by their uncle and aunt, and they had been separated since birth. Funnily enough, the day she met Elena was the same day that she met Klaus... It was the day that she felt like the missing puzzle pieces of her life had been fit together, completing the picture. Of course, she did not realize this until _weeks_ later.

It was also the day that she discovered the very _existence_ of the supernatural – wolves first, and then vampires, and a couple of days later, witches. She had thought Alaric and Elena were crazy as they spoke about driving up to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee to find a pack or werewolves... But Elena told her that these creatures existed, and she just _knew_ to believe it... And she did. She met a vampire called Damon who she immediately disliked, a hybrid called Klaus who kidnapped her and saved her life all in the same day and a vampire called Stefan who her sister was risking her life for - just to find him.

Then came love. Klaus was cruel – a true creature of the night, but when it came to her something within him changed... He cared for her, protected her, and before they knew it they were whisked in to an incredibly complicated yet powerful romance that they had no real control over. They fought, they kissed - he discovered Elena's existence and shut off Stefan's emotions... And then he ran, terrified at the news that Mikael, his father, had been awakened by Damon and Evelyn's _other_ doppelganger, Katherine. She spent those days missing him, arguing with her sister, getting the long-needed closure with her father's ghost and then discovering that she was in love.

And then Klaus returned – tricked in to coming back by Stefan, Damon, Elena and Rebekah. Mikael handed the white-oak dagger over to Damon and they devised a seemingly perfect plan to destroy Klaus. Mikael stabbed her; Damon stabbed Klaus, Stefan saved Klaus and Damon's lives and Klaus saved hers... And now here they are, in love but untrustworthy – the pair of them. She betrayed him and he betrayed her... But he still saved her, last night; little did he know that him feeding her his blood has caused this. His attack caused her transformation.

"I'd say I regret ever stepping foot in Mystic Falls," Evelyn speaks up, taking Caroline's hand and allowing the vampire to help her to her feet. "But I don't regret it – I don't regret a single thing that I have done whilst I've been here... I don't want to turn... But I _have_ to."

"You don't," Caroline shakes her head. "You could die; if you died then you could find your Dad and spend your eternity with him, it's _your_ decision – I'd like you to turn but it's up to you."

"It's tempting," Evelyn admits. "But I can't – I'm not ready to go, yet..." She grins, "I still have a whole lot more arguing to do with my sister and Klaus, I have to confront the person I think did this to me... I have to finish school and do something with my life; this is a second chance of life after death, to me. I'm not going to be afraid of being a vampire anymore – right now I just want to embrace it and get on with it... There's nothing I can do to go back to being human, so this is better than nothing."

Caroline nods, and within five seconds she has disappeared and re-appeared with a Mystic Falls hospital blood bag in hand. Evelyn finds herself being fixated with it immediately as the vampire tears off the tube attached to the bag; the iron scent fills the room they are in instantly, along with a sweet scent that Evie cannot place a name on... But whatever it is, it is _intoxicatingly delicious_... She hands the bag over to Evelyn who presses the plastic object in slightly with her finger and thumb, watching the red liquid within slosh around... It seems to lose the negative, disgusting stigma that it had before and gain a new one as it makes its way out of the hole at the top, running down the bag and on to her hand. She strikes - quickly closing her lips around the hole and drinks, squeezing the bag with all of her strength to get more of it.

She remembers Rebekah telling her how euphoric she felt when she first tasted human blood... Evelyn feels the exact same way. It glides down her throat and settles deep within her stomach, but it has a new effect that food never did – it seems to pass from her stomach around her body... Slowly filling her veins with warmth. _Life_. Something that has been taken away from her when her neck had been snapped, last night. The bag is drained within seconds... She wails as sharp, pointed objects suddenly push their way through her gums; the cry becomes an animalistic sound that a human could _never_ make, after a moment. She feels _better_; amazingly so. Her once weak and pathetic limbs are vitalised with a new-found energy, her eye sight can make out every bit of dust and every little flaw in the room... She can smell more iron than before, _much more_, and hear the sound of deer running and birds chirping deep within the forest – _miles away_.

"Wow," Evie gasps - she looks over at Caroline nervously, who just smiles reassuringly before speaking up.

"Now, let's teach you how to control the bloodlust!"

...

The 'charity event for the restoration of Wickery Bridge' is in full swing; the Founders Hall is packed with most of the respectable couples and other adults living in Mystic Falls. The large, white building is lit up with false lighting and the bushes just outside of it are decorated with dozens of fairy lights, illuminating the pale white structure within the dark of the night. Evelyn sighs; her black heeled pumps click against the concrete slabs as she walks through the door.

_Iron..._

She closes her eyes, inhaling and exhaling as slowly and steadily as possible. The vampire within is mocking her, telling her to bite in to someone's throat and drain them dry: _you know you want too _- but she refuses. She will _not _give in to her cravings: She will never kill the innocent. She focus' on her newly-learnt self control, doing exactly what Caroline told her – _"think of your Dad, think of how disappointed he would be in you if you ever killed a human."_

She pictures him in her mind; how his face would twist in to an angry scowl whenever he got angry with her. That look that made her insides knot with guilt would be much, much worse... The bloodlust fades. It is not gone completely – the scent still makes her mouth dry and her stomach churn hungrily, but she trusts her humanity enough to know that she will not kill anyone. With a smile, she continues – entering the Founders Hall and looking around. She has changed in to clothes a _lot_ more suitable for her newly found nature – black leggings, pumps, a black-and-red corset and a leather jacket. Her hair is curled and her lips are painted red, making her look sexier than even Katherine ever could. She walks with a swagger that she has never had, smirking at the men who gawp at her as she listens in for a familiar voice.

She hears the struggling of a man almost instantly and quickly follows the sound – travelling up the spiral staircase and throwing the white double doors open. She gasps, watching as Stefan holds a sharp knife to the head of Daniel. Snarling animalistically, she seizes him by the throat and pins him against the wall; Daniel falls unconscious immediately, so she keeps her attention on the vampire in front of her. Stefan snarls back, irritated.

"Katherine, what're you doing-?"

"Try again," Evelyn sing-songs, smirking as realization crosses Stefan's features.

"_Evelyn_."

"Yup," She pops the 'P' and sighs, looking down at Daniel. "Poor guy – it must suck, being attacked like that." She glowers at him, "You're mean. You were mean to attack him and mean to snap my neck like a _twig_."

Stefan stares at her for a moment in confusion before inhaling deeply; "How'd you know it was me?"

"Who else would turn Klaus' ex-girlfriend in to a vampire?" She scoffs, grinding her teeth together as she tries to control the raging anger within. She could quite easily kill Stefan for what he has done to her, but killing him will not make her human again. "So, where's your bestie?"

"Klaus?" Stefan laughs sarcastically, "Downstairs kissing Carol Lockwood's ass, for all I know."

"Awesome," She smiles, "Let's go."

"No way, I have hybrids to kill – but have fun."

"No, Stefan," She grabs the knife from his hand and holds it behind her back. "You can't go around killing Klaus' hybrids, it'll piss him off and then he'll kill everyone we care about!"

"You mean 'everyone _you_ care about'," He chuckles, "I told Klaus to get his hybrids out of town and he didn't listen, so now I'm saying it louder!"

"No, you're being _stupid_! You do realize that he's just going to use Elena's blood and make a whole bunch more of these things – does my sister really have to be a human blood bag for the rest of her life!" Evie growls angrily, glaring at Stefan. He has become a monster – in that moment she silently promises herself that her vampirism will _never_ destroy her humanity.

"Look, protecting Elena is Damon's problem, now. Oh, and yours too!" Stefan smirks sarcastically, "See, I'm not compelled by Klaus to take care of her, anymore."

"Oh _lay off_ the whole 'no humanity' crap; you can't have flipped the switch because if you had then Damon and Klaus would be _dead_ right now!" Evie snaps, wishing that she could slap that smug smirk off his face. "Look, just_ stop_ killing his fucking hybrids and hand his family over – the council are _obviously_ on his side so _stop_ doing this! To beat the villain you've got to be smart, and _no one _can beat Klaus in that department."

"No, to beat the villain, Evie, you've got to be the better villain."

"Something that instantly means that Klaus is smarter and _better_ than you are!" Evie yells, raking a hand through her curled locks. "Look, Stef – I no longer give a shit about whether you live or die – you've taken my humanity and I will never forgive you for it, but you _have_ to think about the people we love!"

"Whatever," Stefan scoffs, leaving the unconscious newly-turned vampire to her own devices. He has a better plan in the works, and it seems that she is just going to prevent him from killing any of the hybrids here... Sighing in annoyance, Evelyn turns to look down at the unconscious hybrid – she didn't really come here to deal with the whole hybrid vs. vampire issue but she feels as if there is no other option, especially now that Stefan has decided to attack them at Founders parties. She quickly places his body in to a store cupboard and then heads back downstairs. People converse all around them, glasses of champagne and wine clink together whilst people fake smiles and small-talk about Wickery Bridge. Evelyn rolls her eyes at their insincerity, spotting a familiar figure in her peripheral vision. She looks over at the place she spotted it immediately.

"Damon," Evie hollers, smiling as he turns from his conversation with Liz. He narrows his eyes immediately; a flicker of anger enters his cerulean blue eyes as his mouth presses in to a tight line.

"Katherine," He sighs unhappily.

"Well..." Evie bites her lower lip sheepishly, "Not _exactly_."

"_Evelyn_!" Damon's eyes widen, his whole body becomes tense as he stares at her in disbelief – Liz frowns suspiciously as he leans in to breathe in her scent. "You're... You're a _vampire_?" He hisses, disbelieving what he is seeing.

"No..." Liz's own eyes become wide, now, as she feels a deep sorrow twist her stomach for this poor girl, "Evelyn, is this true?"

"Yes," She sighs, her own sadness threatens to take over. She explains everything to the pair of them – from going to break up with Klaus all the way to confronting Stefan upstairs about it. Damon and Liz listen intently; both are shocked and disgusted by Stefan's actions. Once Evelyn finishes catching them up to speed the Sherriff pulls out her cell phone.

"Right, Damon – I'm sorry but Stefan needs taking _down_," She hisses, anger burns within her blue eyes. As much as Evelyn would _love_ to see that she shakes her head, her luscious chocolate curls bounce as she does.

"No, not now, Sherriff – I think he's left, anyway. Look, Damon, I've had to hide an unconscious hybrid upstairs because Stefan has decided that killing them at Founders parties is a good idea!"

"Oh, _fantastic,_" Damon snarls, "Just what we needed!"

"What're we going to do about it?" She asks desperately, looking around the room to see if there are any more _werepires_ lurking around... She cannot see any, at the moment, but there _must_ be some, somewhere.

"First things first – I'm calling Elena. I don't trust Stefan when it comes to _anyone_ and I have a feeling that she'll be on his list of _how to call Klaus bluff_." Evelyn nods in agreement as Damon pulls out his Blackberry and hits two on speed dial.

"_Hello Damon_!" Stefan answers chirpily, making Evelyn's heart sink in dread as Damon frowns.

"Where's Elena?" Damon snaps.

"_She's a little busy right now_," He replies. The two panicking vampires can make out the sound of a speeding car and Elena's unsteady breathing – they meet each other's eyes with worried glances.

"Why the _hell_ do you have Elena's phone?" The older Salvatore brother asks, keeping his voice as calm as possible.

"_I'm making my next move. Let me ask you something – what's Klaus going to do if he can't make any more hybrids?_"

"_What_?" Elena's voice murmurs, confused.

"Stefan, leave her_ out of this_!" Evelyn growls, snatching the phone from Damon's hand and pressing it to her ear. Stefan sighs; not wanting to argue with the woman that ruined his previous plan, he hangs up. Evelyn growls in annoyance as she glares at the cell phone's screen; "He hung up on me!"

"What's going on?" Liz snaps, not appreciating being the odd one out.

"Stefan's 'pissing contest' with Klaus is being taken to the next level – just keep everyone safe, Liz. Evie, let's go find Klaus."

Her stomach churns sickeningly – her body tenses up at the sound of his name. Despite being a vampire herself, now, she still feels fear shoot down her spine and her neck begin to ache at the memory of his canines and fangs biting down in to her flesh, breaking through her jugular and draining her blood without her consent... Having a vampire do that makes you feel like your soul is being torn from your body – _the pain was excruciating_. She had held in her cries of pain until she knew he really was going to kill her... Talking about him during her moment of life-or-death earlier had been fine, but now she knows she'll definitely see him again...

"You go," Evie shakes her head, glancing around the room, searching for any signs of her ex-boyfriend. "I can't."

"Evelyn-"

"No, just go – I want to go check on Matt, Car and Bonnie; Elena was with them before Stefan took her."

Evie is partly telling the truth, but Damon sees the real reason in her eyes – the pain, the fear, the sadness... She may be a vampire now, too, but she trusted Klaus and he went against that; by biting her he has betrayed her and _scared_ her. With a nod, the older Salvatore disappears – going off in the direction of Klaus' voice. Evelyn can hear it too, so she quickly rushes out of the building at a human pace. Once outside, she texts Bonnie, asking her where they are.

...

"What now?" Klaus sighs, heading in to one of the lounges within the hall as Damon closes the door behind them. "You've just pulled me away from a fascinating conversation about landscaping the town square," The hybrid admires an oil painting hung above the fireplace whilst allowing his voice to feign interest in his other conversation – it had actually being extremely boring, but he has to play nice if he wants to _win_.

"Stefan just grabbed Elena," Damon informs Klaus, who just scoffs – turning to look at the Salvatore with a sly grin.

"Huh, he's getting desperate," the hybrid notes aloud, admiring a bouquet of flowers in front of him – his impassive attitude only makes Damon angrier.

"He's going to try and use her _against_ you – do what he says!" Damon orders, but it sounds more like begging, "Get rid of your hybrids."

"Or what?" Klaus asks, curiosity setting in his features as he drops the flower he had been admiring and stands up. "Stefan would never dream of killing her, and even if he did there's always Evelyn."

Damon pauses upon hearing this, eyeing Klaus with a curiosity that the Original picks up on immediately. Klaus frowns; a slight uneasiness begins to build up inside of him as he straightens up completely. _Does he _really_ not know?_ Damon keeps still as he anticipates Klaus turning around and saying _'oh, yes, Evie is already a vampire!'_... But he doesn't. He just seems to become angry at Damon's sudden confusing silence.

"What is it, Salvatore!" Klaus snaps, not appreciating the fact that he is being kept in the dark about something that seems to be very important. His glare makes it clear: he doesn't know.

"I thought you knew..." Damon shakes his head as if to shake himself out of his curious thoughts and clears his throat, "She's a vampire, now."

"Do not _lie_ to me, especially when it comes to her!" He roars, the sudden explosion does not shock Damon in the slightest, but it does make him a little wary.

"It's true! She explained everything – Liz was there, too, go and ask her if you don't believe me!" The dark-haired vampire replies, holding his hands up in a surrendering gesture. Klaus sees that he is telling the truth... His anger diminishes; the hybrid lets out a shaky breath as his eyes fall to the ground. He already knows what probably took place – Stefan was listening in on their conversation; he will have heard Klaus feeding Evelyn his blood and then he will have followed her home. He probably killed her quickly and easily - snapping her neck would be the best way to do it. He did it to get to Klaus... And, undoubtedly, it has. This was the last thing he wanted – he already felt bad enough for attacking her; he feels worse knowing that it is his fault – because of his selfish actions she is now a vampire... Something she has _never_ wanted to be.

_If she didn't hate him before she definitely will now_.

"Is she alright?" Klaus asks, looking up at the younger vampire hesitantly. Damon lets out a sigh and shrugs.

"She's strong to say that she only turned today – she was here and didn't attack one human," He sees Klaus' slightly hopeful expression and shakes his head, "But she left when I told her I was going to talk to you... She doesn't want to see you."

Klaus laughs without humour, the sound is bitter and his eyes are full of sadness. "I could have guessed that one."

"Anyway, Evie's a vampire – that leaves _one_ doppelganger that you can use and she's about to be turned, too!"

"Stefan would never kill _Elena_," Klaus scoffs, pushing his sadness aside. "That kind of love _never_ dies."

"He was going to behead someone in the middle of a _council_ meeting – he's operating on _crazy_ right now!" Damon yells, trying his very hardest to get through to the Original.

"Calm down," Klaus grins, "He's bluffing!"

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't but if you don't want to believe him then _believe me_: I know my brother better than anyone and right now I don't have a _clue_ how far he's willing to take this so if he says _blink_ then I _suggest _you _blink_." The two men stare at one another, Damon is _begging_ Klaus to listen to him here and the hybrid knows that he will only do this kind of thing when it comes to Elena... He does not want to lose her, and Klaus _cannot afford_ to lose her... _What to do, what to do...?_

...

"Sherriff Forbes!" Matt yells as he rushes up to the Forbes front door and forces it open, holding it so that a panic-stricken Evelyn can carry Caroline in to the house.

"What happened?" Liz gasps, rushing over to them quickly and closing the front door.

"Tyler bit her!" A panicking Matt explains.

"Oh my god!" Liz gasps, rushing after the two teens and her daughter, murmuring words of comfort to her as Evelyn sets her down on her bed, tears threaten to fall from the newly turned deep brown eyes as she looks down at her friend. Caroline cries out in pain as Evelyn pulls her jacket away from her collar bone, exposing the bite. It is red and blistering – a sure sign that it is going to kill her. Evie quickly moves out of the way, allowing the worried Mother to sit beside the dying vampire.

"Honey, can you hear me?" Liz asks her whimpering daughter. Caroline opens her eyes to see her mother hovering over her and she finally begins to cry.

"I'm sorry Mommy," She sobs, tears stream down her cheeks as she does so. The scene is truly heartbreaking; Evelyn is ready to cry with them.

"She's being hallucinating or something, I- I don't know. No-no one is picking up their phone!" Matt stutters his words; he is shaking too much to really think his speech through – the poor human is too terrified for Caroline's life.

"It's alright, sweetheart," Liz comforts the blonde vampire before looking up at Evie, who is comforting Matt as best she can. She remembers the conversation that she had with them earlier about her and Klaus breaking up... Meaning that they have something going on between them.

"Klaus' blood can heal this," Liz speaks to Evelyn, "Could you get him to come and sort this out?"

"I could try," Evie nods, pushing her fear for him aside – this is _Caroline's life_ that they are talking about. "I think Tyler might beat me too it but I'll go and see."

"Thank you," Liz sighs in relief – Evelyn just nods before disappearing at a speed that leaves Liz and Matt disorientated.

...

Klaus is leaning against the side of the Founders Hall when Evelyn arrives back at the party, his eyes are closed and his brow is furrowed. The hybrid just _had_ to escape after his conversation with Damon – he couldn't pretend to be interested in mundane human conversations when he feels so, so guilty. He cannot _believe_ that Stefan had the _nerve_ to do this to her – use the woman he loves as a pawn in their sick, twisted game... A game he does not even want to participate in. This is the first time he has been forced in to something in a _very_ long time, and he is not appreciating _any_ of it – especially because he is losing. He has lost his family, his sister's trust, Evelyn... All he has now are his hybrids.

"Klaus."

His eyes fly open at the sound of her voice – he had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he did not even realize that she was standing in front of him. She keeps her distance, tensing up as he goes to take a step towards her; he stops himself as soon as he sees this, his heart sinks.

"Evelyn..." He opens his mouth as if to say something else, but he does not know what to say first. She holds her hand up, not giving him the chance.

"I don't want to hear it – I don't even want to be here right now, but-" She is cut off as Klaus' cell phone begins to ring, he quickly pulls it out, intent on ignoring it.

_Stefan_.

"It's Stefan," He quickly explains before answering, his whole demeanour becomes cocky as he smirks, hitting the green button. "Stefan – how nice to hear your voice!" Klaus' voice now drips with sarcasm.

"_Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus!_" Stefan orders, making Evelyn move closer to the Original so she can hear the conversation clearer than she already can. The sound of a car engine can be heard, and Elena...

"Well that's not going to happen until I get my coffins back!" He replies, stating the obvious, in his opinion. Evelyn hears Stefan chuckle darkly and meets Klaus' eyes, glaring at him.

"_Ok – well then I'm going to drive your only blood source off of Wickery Bridge! You've already made me turn Evelyn, let's not make Elena meet the same fate!_" Evelyn hears Elena's shrieks of rage as she finally discovers what has happened to her sister; Evie's eyes fill with tears of both sadness and anger and Klaus feels the guilt return – he quickly pushes it away. _He cannot show Stefan how badly this has affected him_.

"I don't believe you, Stefan. You may have killed Evelyn but you won't kill Elena," He replies calmly. Suddenly a slight tearing sound can be heard, followed by muffled cries for help and a screeching of tires – Klaus' expression becomes a little more panicked whilst Evelyn's becomes complete rage. She grabs Klaus' phone and rushes off in to the forest with it, the hybrid quickly follows her.

"STEFAN WHAT ARE YOU _DOING_?" She shrieks piercingly, "IF YOU TURN ELENA THEN I SWEAR TO _GOD_ I WILL RIP YOUR HEART OUT!" Klaus catches up to her, now, he angrily yanks the phone from her grasp whilst glaring at her in annoyance.

"What's going _on_?" He orders, his tone is still relaxed despite his anger.

"_I just fed her my blood – no more hybrids or she's a vampire_," Stefan threatens.

"You _won't_ do it," Klaus replies – the panic is obviously beginning to set in. Evelyn feels a tiny glimmer of relief: _He is beginning to realize that Stefan is not bluffing_.

"_Try me; because your coffins are next to go!_" His tone sounds amused, which just makes Klaus and Evelyn that much angrier. Klaus closes his eyes and inhales deeply, trying to keep himself under control – Evelyn puts her fist through a tree, ignoring the splinters that dig in to her skin as she becomes unable to contain her anxiety, anger and fear.

"KLAUS DO WHAT HE SAYS!" Evelyn shrieks, holding his down-turned face in to her hands. He opens his eyes at this, watching the tears fall down her cheeks. "DON'T LET HIM TURN ELENA – _PLEASE_!" She releases his face and grabs his white shirt, burying her face in to his chest as she cries.

"_Say goodbye to your family, guys_," Stefan mocks, putting the hybrid under even more pressure: the speed of the car increases, a sudden screeching of tires indicates that. Elena's screeched begs of '_STEFAN SLOW DOWN!'_ make Evelyn cry harder, Klaus looks down at the woman he loves – she has become inconsolable. If Stefan is not bluffing then he is about to kill Evie's sister and Klaus will be to blame. He has already caused her transformation – he does not want her to hate him more than she already does, _but he doesn't want to give in to Stefan!_

"_STEFAN, STEFAN STOP IT!_" Elena's screams make it clear that they are not far off, making Klaus truly believe that he really is not bluffing. He grabs Evelyn by the waist and buries his face in to her hair for a moment, inhaling her lemon-ginger scent to remind himself what he will miss if he does not give in.

"Fine, you win – I'll send them away!" He sighs, but he is prevented from calming down when the car speeds up even further – Evelyn chokes on her sobs as she notices it, too.

"_STEFAN_," Elena shrieks; tears steam down her face as her panic sends her heart in to a frenzy and even more adrenaline through her bloodstream. "_STEFAN_ _STOP!"_

"STOP THE CAR, STEFAN!" Klaus growls through his teeth, Evelyn pulls back to look him in the eyes – his chest is shaking slightly underneath her grasp, a scream can be heard from both the car tyres and Elena as the vehicle comes to a halt – relief washes through the hybrid as he hangs up, dropping his phone to the ground immediately. His breathing is laboured, but it is nothing compared to Evie's – she is crying, unintelligible noises of what he believes are supposed to be _thank you's_ leave her lips as she wraps her arms around him. He holds her, stroking her hair as he soothes her.

"Everything will be ok, sweetheart. It's going to be ok. I agreed, I saved her, she's going to be fine."

"Th-th-thank y-you," She manages to stutter. Sure, she is still angry at him – but right now her fear and hatred have been forgotten – she is just happy that Elena is going to be ok.

...

"Get back in the car!" Stefan orders, following Elena as she storms away, sobbing as she does.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" She wails, wiping the blood from her lips.

"Elena, _get in the car_!" Stefan demands, ignoring her request. She turns on her heels, glaring at him with such a hateful expression that he feels his humanity threatening to return.

"_HOW COULD YOU! _MY PARENTS _DIED_ GOING OVER THIS BRIDGE – _I ALMOST DIED_..." Tears fall down her cheeks as her expression becomes pained. Guilt threatens to consume the vampire as he watches the woman he loves break down in front of him – _because of him_. "You knew that... _You're the one who saved me!_" Despite his guilt he puts on a facade of impassiveness – but he cannot meet her eyes as he speaks.

"Look, he had to believe that I would do it, alright? Your fear sold it."

"Well what if he _hadn't_?" She sobs.

"He did," Stefan speaks reassuringly, which only makes her that much angrier.

"WELL WHAT IF HE _HADN'T_?" She yells, glaring at him with that same hateful expression once more.

"HE DID, ELENA! HE BACKED DOWN – HE HAS A WEAKNESS, IF I KNOW HIS WEAKNESS THEN I CAN _DESTROY _HIM!" Elena stares at him in disbelief, searching for any redeemable qualities after what he just said... She cannot _believe_ this... _Is he serious?_

"And after everything that's all that mattered...? _Destroying Klaus,_" she scoffs, sniffling as she turns and begins to walk away again.

"Destroying Klaus is all I have left," Stefan murmurs – watching her sadly.

"YOU HAD ME!" She yells, making him realize that nothing he says will comfort her, now. "At least you did before you tried to _kill me_ and before you turned my _sister in to a VAMPIRE!_" He shakes his head, speaking to try and comfort himself – to relieve some of the guilt.

"I lost you the minute I left town with him," Stefan replies sadly; "At least you haven't let yourself admit that yet."

"Is that what you're doing? Trying to make me _hate you_?"

"I don't really care about what you think about me anymore, Elena." He replies, turning around and getting back in the car – stranding her is not the best of ideas but he cannot take the guilt he feels when he looks at her. Elena watches him as he slams the car door shut and starts the car, speeding off and leaving her behind... Her grief-stricken sobs are the only sounds that fill the darkness.

...

Three knocks at the door alert Evelyn to a visitor – she tells a shivering Elena that she will be a minute, hands her the mug of coffee and then heads through the foyer. The vampire unlocks the door and opens it up to see that Klaus is stood there; he breaks out of his gazing at the floor as he sees Evelyn... Their eyes meet and they stare at one another awkwardly, both trying to think of something to say. Evie decides to bring up an easier subject.

"Is Caroline okay?" She murmurs, _staying within the safety of her home_, Klaus notes. The hybrid nods.

"I gave Tyler a vial of my blood – he took it over to her house. She should heal up nicely," He replies, watching as she nods and then looks to the ground. He goes to reach up and cup her cheek in his hand, but Evelyn takes a step back, looking in to his eyes with genuine fear.

"No... Don't, Klaus... Don't touch me," She whispers.

"You let me earlier," He frowns. "You _wanted_ me to."

"I wasn't thinking straight – I was worried about Elena..." She gulps and sighs shakily before bringing up the topic she has been trying to avoid; "You bit me last night."

"I know," He wants to hold her whilst he says this, but he understands that he cannot. "And Evelyn, _please_ believe me when I tell you that I am so _sorry_."

"I don't know what to believe, anymore," She sniffs, tears fill her eyes as she shakes her head and laughs humourlessly. "Because of you I woke up this morning as a _vampire_... It's not _right_... This isn't _fair_!"

"I know _that_!" He hisses, "Do you really _think_ that I was anticipating that? But I could not let you die, Evelyn!"

"You shouldn't have put me in the position of death in the _first place_!" She growls, glaring up at him as tears slip down her cheeks. "_You_ may as well have _killed _me!"

Klaus stares at her, searching her face for any signs of forgiveness... When he sees none he chokes on his words, grinding his teeth together to fight the flood of emotions threatening to overtake him. He meets her eyes once more, putting all of his emotions in to them as he speaks.

"_Please_ step out for a moment – just let me talk to you... Evelyn, I feel _so terrible_ for what I have caused... _Please_."

She wants to slam the door on him and say no, but she can see whatever she saw back in the forest shining in his eyes... It's panic. He is panicking because he is so afraid of losing her for good. _He should lose her for good_... But how can he when she cannot imagine an eternity without him? Sniffling once more, she nods and steps out of the house – letting the door click shut behind her. She turns around, meeting his eyes straight away.

"Evelyn..." He hesitantly reaches for her hands, restraining himself from smiling as she allows him to take them, "If you want to... Well, you do not have to live, if you do not want too. I know you better than you think – I understand that your father would despise this."

"He would," She sobs, "He'll hate me – he will think that my existence no longer has any meaning just like the rest of the council members would, if they knew."

Klaus' eyes soften as he reaches up to wipe a tear from her eyes, "But do you believe that? If you honestly believe that your life no longer has meaning then you may as well drive a stake through your heart... I have thought about doing that to myself, once or twice, if I am being honest." Evelyn finds herself getting lost in his wise words and his watery blue eyes... He smiles ever-so-slightly, stroking his thumb across her cheek as he speaks, "But I will let you in on a little secret – there's a whole _world_ out there waiting for you; great cities and art, and _music_... _Genuine_ beauty." He traces her jaw, making her believe that he sees that in her, "And you can have _all _of it... I cannot guarantee that you will want to spend an eternity with a sadistic old man like myself," She laughs through her tears at that and he smiles, "But I _can_ guarantee that your life has meaning... You have a soul, sweet Evelyn. You are the most wonderful woman I have ever met, and I really hope that you can forgive me for my truly _disgusting_ mistakes... Because I love you _so_ much." To hide his tears, he presses a kiss to her forehead. Evelyn's eyes flutter closed for a moment – she allows herself to enjoy the moment, to push her anger aside and take in his kind words. Once he pulls away she smiles slightly and wipes her tears away.

"Klaus... I love you, I know that... But I can't be with you; not now, not with everything that's going on." She smiles, reaching up to wipe a stray tear from his cheek, "But don't worry too much – we have an eternity, and I _promise you_ that as angry as I am and as scared as I am, I cannot imagine living it without you."

The Original's smile is breathtaking, he laughs lightly in disbelief as he reaches in to his pocket, feeling around for the small, circular object that he no longer needs. Evelyn watches as his hand returns from his pocket – in his palm is the Original's family ring. He reaches down for her hand and then places the golden ring in to it.

"It's not a proposal," He chuckles. "This is the daylight ring I no longer need – and now it is yours."

"Seriously?" Evelyn asks, staring at the ring in shock. It is made of real gold; the band builds in thickness as it joins to the octagon that holds a small lapis lazuli stone in the centre.

"Of course – I am a hybrid, we do not need daylight amulets," He reminds her. She tries the ring on each finger and grimaces as she realizes that it fits none; Klaus chuckles.

"Wear it on a necklace, my love. It will still work."

"Ok. Thank you... For everything you've done today. Healing Caroline was sweet of you," She smiles, but the smile soon falls from her lips as he leans down to press a kiss to her lips – she backs off, shaking her head as he looks down at her in confusion. "Klaus, no... I can't. I can be your friend, but I need time – I still can't forgive you for what you've done, and I'm scared... I'm scared you'll bite me again."

He wants to shout at her, call her preposterous and remind her of his guilt and shame... But what use will that be? That will only make her hate him again – he has managed to regain a fraction of her friendship, but that does not mean that she _trusts_ him... And he does not trust her, either. Not when it comes to the people she loves – her family come before he does, which makes her a liability. Klaus nods, taking a step away from her as he sighs.

"I understand," He whispers, "But just know this – I will _never, ever_ hurt you again."

Evelyn just turns away as she opens the door, closing her eyes to fight off her guilt.

"Goodnight, Klaus."

...

_I hope you liked this. Tell me your thoughts on Evie becoming a vampire – I am open to any criticism you may or may not have on the subject. :)_


	14. Bonus: Goodbye Jeremy

___So, I haven't done a bonus chapter for a while so I decided to write this - the farewell to Jeremy and a little bit of family bonding! Enjoy (: ps. THANK YOU AGAIN READERS/REVIEWERS :')_

_..._

_His yellow eyes plague her dreams; his lips curl back in to a snarl of rage, showing his elongated fangs and canines. The face that she once found beautiful does nothing but terrify her, now. She runs, but he is much, much faster... What are you supposed to do when the man you love is the one you fear more than anyone else? It is ridiculous, wanting to be close to him yet wanting to run so far away at the same time. The hybrid soon catches up to her, and Evelyn shrieks as his fangs puncture her neck-_

She jolts awake much like she had done the previous morning, only this time she has a trail of tears on her cheeks and a coat of perspiration covering her body. Evelyn sighs, steadying out her breathing, frowning as she waits for a reaction that her body _should_ have to fear... The thumping that is usually felt within her chest... Where is it?

_Oh_, she remembers sadly. _I don't have a heartbeat, anymore._

Sniffling, the newly-turned vampire throws her legs over the side of her bed and lets out a sigh. _Another day, a new life_... She wants to say that her new life should consist of letting her humanity go and that she should be embracing who she really is, but she cannot bear to part with herself... The human she once was. She cannot let go of her humanity, because when she does then who knows what kind of monster she will become? _No_. She has sworn to _never_ allow herself to kill anyone, and she will not. She may be a predator, now, but she will _not_ act like one. The doppelganger ties her curly brown hair upon her head and takes a quick shower, taking care to not wet the brunette locks as she does so. When she is done she quickly pulls on some blue jeans, a green-and-white striped vest top and a denim three-quarter sleeved jacket.

"Good morning," She greets Alaric, walking in to the kitchen and digging through the freezer for a blood bags. Damon had brought these around last night for her – the raven-haired vampire had told her that he would let her have ten but she can go take her own supplies, from then on. Evelyn had argued, begging Damon to let her share his supply, but gave up when he made it clear that giving her ten was a big enough step for him – she'll have to start stealing her own supplies, from now on. Evie pulls out one of the bags and squeezes the contents in to a mug before placing them in the microwave – Jeremy's eyes widen as he looks at the bag in Evie's hand and then in to her eyes.

"Katherine?" He asks, genuine fear filling his eyes.

"No, Jer," Evie sighs as she runs a hand through her hair – _she'll have to get used to this_. "Don't worry; I'm Evelyn – just a _dead_ Evelyn."

"When did you turn?" Jeremy yells, clinging on to the kitchen counter to support his suddenly weak legs. She pouts, throwing the empty blood bag in the trash and then taking her mug of now warm blood out of the microwave.

"Yesterday – long story short, Klaus had fed me blood and Stefan took advantage of it," She sighs, taking a drink as Elena walks in, looking at Evie's hand that is still on the microwave door and then at the steaming cup of blood. She chokes on her coffee as she realizes what her sister just did.

"EVIE! Jeez, don't use the microwave for _that_!" She growls, glaring at her sister in annoyance. Evelyn just frowns.

"It tastes weird cold," She murmurs nonchalantly.

"I don't care! If you want to use a microwave for... Warming up blood," She shivers, "Then go buy your own."

"You're just jealous 'cause you can't have any," She smirks, watching as Elena cringes and Jeremy laughs, although the sound is still slightly strained. The sixteen-year-old heads out of the room after that, shaking his head at the sisterly banter. Elena watches as her sister stares out of the window, her eyes seem to be full of sadness as she does so...

"Are you ok?" She asks, breaking Evelyn from her thoughts. The vampire turns her eyes back to her sister, sighing.

"I'll be okay, this," She holds up the mug, "Is just going to take some getting used to... A few days ago I was worried about boyfriend problems, and now I'm a _vampire_..."

"It's going to be ok," Elena murmurs, taking another sip of her coffee. "I'm sorry this happened, though – Stefan should _never_ have turned you."

"Klaus should never have _bit_ me," Evelyn scoffs, her brow furrows as she glares down at the deep red liquid within her mug: if Klaus had never bitten her then this would have never happened.

"You're right..." Elena sighs, her tone brightens slightly. "But he did, you turned and you're _still here_..." She meets Evie's eyes seriously, "I'm glad you decided to turn – I don't think I would have been able to go on, losing anyone else."

"I know," Evelyn nods. "You are one of the few reasons why I decided to stick around..." The vampire smiles, "And I can tell that you feel guilty about sending Jeremy away, but you're doing the right thing – Bonnie told me about what went down yesterday, and she was wrong to talk to you like that."

"No," Elena shakes her head, her eyes on the ground. "Bonnie was right – I have no right to take Jeremy's free will away but I don't feel like I have any other choice." The only human doppelganger looks up from the ground, the guilt causing her eyes to fill with tears. "I'm _so scared_ that he's going to find out I got him compelled – he got _so mad_ at me last time."

"Last time?" Evelyn shakes her head, understanding why Bonnie must have got so worked up about this, if it is the _second_ time... "What did you compel him for _last time_?"

"Vicki Donovan – Matt's sister – had just been turned in to a vampire and she couldn't control her thirst; she ended up attacking me in the school parking lot. Stefan had to stake her, and Jeremy had been in..." Elena trails off as she sees Evelyn's face go a sickly pale colour; she realizes what she just said and her own eyes widen. With a blink, Evelyn is suddenly gone, a gust of wind giving away the direction that she ran in. "Oh, _god_ – Evie!" Elena calls after her, running through the kitchen and in to the foyer where Jeremy's suitcase is sat – both Alaric and Jeremy are staring at the stairs with wide, confused eyes. The doppelganger rushes up them, attempting to open Evie's bedroom door, to no avail – it's locked. "Evie, I'm sorry, I wasn't _thinking-_"

"Go _away_, Elena!" Evelyn yells from the other side of the door, sitting with her back pressed against it and her knees pulled to her chest. Elena _knew_ that Evie has been worrying about the bloodlust that comes along with being a vampire – the tragic little story of Vicki Donovan has only confirmed that she _should_ be afraid! Elena sighs in defeat, turning away from the door – _Evelyn's emotions are all over the place, she will probably be better off being left alone for a while._

"What's up with her?" Alaric asks, glancing from Elena to the top of the stairs uneasily. He can imagine that playing house with an emotional, freshly-turned vampire is going to be far from easy – which gives them yet another reason to believe that having Damon compel Jeremy to go to Denver is a _good thing_.

"I didn't think before opening my mouth," Elena snaps, but she is aiming it at herself more than she is Ric. "I told her about Vicki's death."

"Nice job," Ric scoffs sarcastically, earning a glare from the doppelganger – her step-dad sighs, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder as she looks down at the floor, fighting off her tears. "Elena, don't worry about it – getting yourself worked up won't change anything, and Evie needs our support right now. She'll come around."

"I know," Elena whimpers, "But I scared her – fear is _terror_ when you're a vampire and-"

"_Elena_," the doppelganger raises her watery chocolate eyes from the ground and inhales deeply as she sees Alaric's eyebrows rise at her. He has already told her not to worry about it – Evelyn will come around. Besides, the History teacher is more concerned about Jeremy right now... Over the past year or so he has grown close to the Gilbert children; it will be sad to watch Jeremy go, but everyone knows that this is for the best. He turns to the stairs, listening to the banging noises that are presumably coming from said Gilbert child. "Hey, Jer – you ready to go?"

"I will be in a minute; I just need to find my wallet!" The teen calls from upstairs, making Alaric chuckle lightly.

"Ok – I'm going to put your case in the car and wait in there!" Alaric calls before sighing, looking at a glassy-eyed Elena. "Elena?"

"Huh," She breaks out of her thoughts, looking up at Ric with a small smile. "Oh, sorry. Need any help?" She asks.

"It's only one suitcase," He grins before picking the object up. "I'll see you when I get back – _stop _worrying about everything, even if it's just for a little while."

Meanwhile, Jeremy Gilbert is turning his bedroom upside down as he searches for his wallet. _What has he done with it?_ He groans in frustration, checking under the bed again. Finding it to be void of any objects, he hits the mattress with his fist and stands up – his breath catches in his throat as he notices that he is not alone.

"Evie," Jeremy gasps. "You scared me."

"Sorry," She smiles sheepishly, holding out her hand. He looks down and rolls his eyes.

"Where'd you find it?" He chuckles, thanking her as he puts the wallet in to his pocket.

"In your bathroom," She murmurs, slowly heading over to the window and pushing the blue curtains aside. The sunlight beams down from the slightly clouded sky, and she closes her eyes at it warms her face. "I'm glad that I can still come out in the daylight," the doppelganger sighs, reaching to play with the Original family ring that hangs on a golden chain at the base of her throat.

"When did you get your daylight-thing?" Jeremy asks, going to stand beside her. She turns to him and smiles, slightly.

"Klaus gave me it – this," She holds the ring up higher so that he can see – Jeremy eyes the ring curiously.

"Doesn't he need it?" He asks.

"Nope – apparently hybrids don't burn in the sunlight." Jeremy nods, taking this information in. The teen watches his cousin bask in the glow of the sun whilst trying to imagine what it would be like to be trapped in the darkness – to be a creature of the night... He knows Evelyn never wanted this, and now she is stuck with it for an eternity. A deep sorrow twists his stomach as he exhales, causing her big brown eyes to open and look at him. She sees his sadness and frowns.

"What's up?" She asks, turning to him. Jeremy shrugs.

"I just... I'm sorry, Evie – about what Stefan did... I know you never wanted to be a vampire; he shouldn't have forced you in to it."

Evelyn smiles bitterly, looking out of the window again. "Yeah, well, when life gives you lemons..." She shrugs, forcing a brighter smile on to her lips. "I'll be fine, Jer. There are some bright sides to it."

"I guess so," He lies. "Anyway, Ric's going to be pissed if I leave him waiting any longer." He goes to leave, but hesitates a moment. The teen looks down at his cousin once more before pulling her in for a hug. At first, Evie stiffens, worried that she may bite him... The scent of iron fills her lungs, making her mouth water and the monster within mock her. She can feel the veins rising and falling under her eyes and her fangs threatening to elongate – but she pictures her Dad; his disappointment... Inhaling and exhaling as steady as possible, she fights off the bloodlust, and when they separate she really is smiling.

"Have a safe trip, Jeremy. Text us when you get to the airport... I'm going to miss having my baby cuz' around," She grins as he chuckles.

"I will do," He laughs, "I'm going to miss you too. Good luck with the whole vampire thing."

"Thanks," She sighs before disappearing; making him jump slightly with the sudden gust of wind passing him by. She can hear his laughter from upstairs, and how Elena's heart begins to run a marathon once Evelyn comes to a stop in front of her.

"EVIE!" Elena yells, "Stop doing _vampire stuff_ in the _house_!"

"Aww, but it's so _fun_," She pouts, turning around to see that a laughing Jeremy is making his way down the stairs.

"You're going to enjoy that, aren't you?" He chuckles.

"Yup!" Evie nods, smiling at her cousin fondly. Elena meets his eyes and a sob escapes her throat. She pulls her adoptive brother in to her arms for a hug. She is going to miss him _so much_, even if this is for the best. She fights off her tears, reminding herself that this is saving his life – even if she did make a deal with Klaus, he cannot be trusted... Who says Stefan won't push him off of the edge and that Klaus will not try to kill him again? Klaus' 'word' has no true meaning... Even Evelyn knows that. Despite all of that, she cannot bring herself to let go of her brother – the only person left who she has grown up with in her family. It's going to be lonely without him, even if she is crowded with her family (of sorts) and friends. Jeremy drops his arms from around his sister's waist, but she still refuses to let go. Evelyn giggles as her cousin rolls his eyes.

"You're going to have to let me go, eventually," he chuckles. Elena finally does pull away, placing her hands on his shoulders as she meets his eyes with her own – she looks scared, and sad.

"Be safe, okay?" She asks; Jeremy's joking is pushed aside momentarily as he nods.

"Ok, alright," He speaks soothingly, and then chuckles again as she refuses to loosen her grip on the sleeves of his jacket. "Look, Alaric's waiting." Elena unwillingly releases his jacket, looking down to the ground sombrely as he heads out of the front door. Evelyn's interest is piqued as she hears Bonnie's erratic breathing, she turns to the door and Elena soon follows suit as the witch comes to a stand-still in front of Jeremy.

"Good – you haven't left yet!" She pants, intending to tell Jeremy about what Damon has done to him. She can't let him leave... Elena won't be the only one who will be lonely with him gone. Jeremy smiles, shock is evident in his eyes as he walks closer to her.

"Bonnie, what're you doing here?"

She inhales, glancing at Elena and Evelyn... And suddenly she is at a loss for words. She sees Elena's panicked expression and Evie's saddened one – they were hoping that he would be safer, but now Bonnie is going to ruin that. _Don't let selfishness get in the way, Bonnie_, Evie lip-speaks to her friend as she stares at her sadly. The teen gulps, and then looks up at her ex-boyfriend in defeat... She knows that as wrong as taking his free will away is, he will be safer, in Denver.

"I came to say goodbye," She replies, her voice is full of sadness as she does. Jeremy smiles again before pulling her in for a hug, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She buries her head in to the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent as she holds him close. When they pull away from one another they both exchange smiles – Bonnie hides her sadness as she watches him pick up his carry-on baggage, and then frowns at Evie and Elena angrily as he walks out of the front door. He looks back, sharing a sad look with Bonnie before looking at his adopted sister and cousin – Elena nods at him whilst Evelyn wraps an arm around her sister's waist, leaning her head on her shoulder to comfort her. Bonnie's eyes swim with tears as they watch the car set off, Jeremy's eyes stay on the three girls who he will miss more than anything before they travel out of view. Bonnie leaves straight away, not speaking a word to the twins as she slams her car door shut and drives away.

"Well... It's just me, you and Ric."

"I guess it is," Elena nods, her eyes glaze over as she stares out the door. Evie sighs, walking out and sitting on the porch steps, making Elena frown as she notices that her sister has not set on fire. The human doppelganger follows, taking a seat next to her as they admire the beautiful sunny day. The air has a twinge of cold to it, making Elena wrap her arms around herself, but it does not affect Evie in the slightest.

"Where'd you get a daylight amulet?" Elena asks quietly, admiring the blooming rosebushes in Mrs Whitewood's garden.

"Oh, Klaus gave me his," She replies, holding the ring up for her sister to see. Elena looks down at it and touches the lapis stone in the centre.

"It looks familiar," She murmurs.

"I think the other Originals have the same ring – it's the same as Rebekah's, from what I remember," Evie explains, turning to Elena as she drops the necklace.

"How are you – about the whole Klaus thing?" She asks, her expression is full of sympathy for her sister. She is worried about her; the vampire has hardly spoke about Klaus ever since he bit her... Which doesn't surprise her, really, but she is not buying the whole 'I hate him' act.

"I'll be fine. He tried to kiss me last night but I had to stop him... I do love him, but I'm just scared. I trusted him not to hurt me and he _bit_ me..." Evie trails off, twiddling her thumbs as she frowns down at her hands. Elena watches her, listening closely.

"I know what you mean – you know the bridge that Stefan was threatening to drive me off?" Evie nods – _how could she forget?_ "That's the bridge where the car accident took place. The one that killed my parents... And almost killed me."

Evelyn balls her hands in to fists at this – holding back the snarl that is threatening to leave her lips. She can see that Elena is shaking, slightly, as she remembers the fear she felt... How could he make her re-live that experience after _everything_ they have been through together? He _saved_ her from that! Evie sighs in frustration, resting her chin on her hands as she glares down at the garden in front of them.

"Why are guys such dicks? You'd think the ones that have been around for over two-hundred years would be a little more respectable, but they are even more messed up than the human ones are!"

"Evie," Elena smirks, "I hate to burst your bubble, but the 'guys' we are talking about are bloodthirsty vampires who will kill without a second thought. You'd hardly expect them to be 'respectable'." Evelyn's bad mood diminishes immediately as she looks at her sister with raised eyebrows. _Who knew that Elena has this side to her?_ The vampire cannot help but laugh as she stands up, reaching out a hand to help Elena up, too.

"Wow, Elena – strong words." She giggles, "But I see where you're going with this – enough about boyfriends and vampires and all the other stuff; it's about time we did something human."

_Something human_... Elena grins.

"Ok, vampire – let's go do something human."

Evie rolls her eyes and elbows her sister playfully, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up," She laughs.

...

_Reviews are like chocolate chip cookies - wanna give me one? :3_


	15. The Ties That Bind

_Sorry this has taken so long! D: it's getting harder & harder to adapt Evie in to the show, but I will keep shoving her in to it! I'm breaking this chapter in to two parts, since there is no new episode this week, so the next part should be up by the weekend. I hope this chapter is good, I feel like it's crap. I'm sorry if you don't like it :(_

...

It is ten A.M, and everyone in the Gilbert household is already up and ready. Alaric left to go grab some paperwork from school (and then meet Meredith for lunch), Elena is fishing through files of every woman called Abby Bennett in the country, alongside Bonnie... And Evelyn is lounging on the counter, drinking her blood bag whilst she hands out an occasional 'helpful' comment. She has been watching these two look for Bonnie's Mom for half an hour, now. She lost hope in the first ten minutes.

"How many of those _are _there?" Evie groans.

"A lot," Elena ignores her sister's whining as she replies. "Why don't you come and help us instead of drinking... That."

"You can say blood, Elena." Evie smirks as she hops off the counter and makes her way over to the table. She dangles the blood bag in front of her sister, who tries to swat it away. "Oh come on, it doesn't _bite_."

"You're vampire jokes are simply hilarious!" Elena's obnoxious fake-laughter echoes through the house, when she has finished she just glares at her cocky twin sister. "Now shut up and sit down."

Bonnie watches as Evie sighs and sits beside Elena, she doesn't proceed to help, though. The vampire simply sits and gazes at the papers. After a moment of silence Bonnie looks over at Elena.

"Um, I know that we haven't been able to, really... That things have been _weird_ because of Jeremy, so... Thank you, for helping me with this." The Bennett witch glances at Evelyn, "I know you have a lot to deal with."

"There's nothing more important, Bonnie." Elena replies, smiling at her best friend. Bonnie smiles too, although it is full of her nervousness.

"It's surreal, having to track down a woman that bailed on her own kid," She starts going through the papers again, shaking slightly as she pushes some aside.

"You know you don't have to, right?" Elena comforts her, "Let Stefan obsess over opening up the coffin."

"The coffin is spelled shut – that makes it a witch problem, so it does fall on me. I was bound to see my mother again sooner or later, anyway."

Evelyn's interest is suddenly piqued. Uneasiness twists her stomach as she glances down at all of the files on the kitchen table, and then back up to Bonnie and Elena. It's no secret that Stefan has the coffins – she was with Klaus when he found out – but something tells her that they are _not_ trying to awaken someone her ex-boyfriend will want to see... If he did then this coffin they are talking about wouldn't be locked; _spelled shut_ by a _witch_.

"Sooner."

The three girls turn their heads to the doorway at the same time to see Damon. The older Salvatore brother is wearing black, as always, and has numerous pieces of paper in his hand. He holds said papers up as he speaks, "Abby Bennett Wilson – Monroe, North Carolina. Born in Mystic Falls Hospital, graduated at Mystic Falls High, blah, blah, blah, blah." Elena and Bonnie rise from their seats, and the witch takes the papers from Damon's hand. The vampire smirks, "A little compulsion helped speed up the research process."

Bonnie looks down at the file, scanning the information on the front page. She glances up afterwards, meeting Elena's eyes with the same nervousness she had felt earlier. "This is her," she says.

"Yep! Road trip – I call shotgun!"

"Ye- no," Elena replies.

"Want me to hang out in the back with _you_?" Damon smirks suggestively, Elena _obviously_ ignores that.

"You're not coming, Damon." Elena snaps.

"Why? I'm the one who found her!" He argues.

"Ok, Damon, look – Bonnie hasn't seen her Mom in over fifteen years, we don't need your snarky commentary narrating the experience." She glances over at Evie, "Same rules apply for you."

"You suck," Evie mumbles, drinking some more of the blood straight from the blood bag. The vampire watches as Damon stands in her sister's way and pouts at her, giving her a simply to-die-for look with his eyes. Of course, Bonnie also notices this – she speaks for Evelyn.

"What's going on with you two?" The Bennett witch asks cautiously.

"We kissed." Evelyn chokes on the blood that she is drinking at that bombshell. "Now it's weird."

_DAMON AND ELENA KISSED!_

Damon looks around at Bonnie and Evelyn's shocked expressions and then back down in to Elena's angry brown eyes. He smirks successfully... Causing Evelyn's anger to flare. He looks so damn proud of himself, but Evie is soon going to wipe that smirk clean off his face – he cannot _do_ this... If he gets Elena in to his arms then there is _no way_ that Stefan is going to fully allow his humanity _back in_!

"Have a great trip."

The raven haired vampire heads straight to the door. He steps out in to the morning sunlight and inhales some of the fresh air, before chuckling to himself. Their faces had been simply _priceless _when he let that slip! He whistles the tune of _God Save The South_ happily as he grabs his car-keys from his leather jacket pocket. A gust of wind suddenly ruffles his raven-black hair - it has him turning back to the house in confusion... Nothing seems off, though. It's when he turns back to the car that he jumps.

"Are you too proud of yourself to focus on your instincts?" Evelyn asks sarcastically, glaring at the Salvatore brother as she leans against his blue convertible, arms and ankles crossed in front of her defiantly. Damon just smiles that very fake smile of his and chuckles.

"Get out of the way, little miss sarcasm," He replies, feigning nonchalance.

"No, I won't – not until you explain to me _why_ you kissed my sister!" She snaps, narrowing her eyes at him accusingly. Damon laughs once more, leaning against the car besides her. He won't let her get the best of him.

"I was not aware that I had to explain myself to _anyone_, least of all someone I barely _know_," He grins.

"You know me well enough to know that I want the best for my family, and right now you're putting Elena in _danger_!" _That_ gets his attention; Damon growls under his breath and moves so that he is standing in front of her. His eyes are full of anger, and his fists are clenched at his sides.

"Oh, yeah? And how is _kissing_ somebody putting them in danger?" He snaps questioningly.

"Damon, you know as well as _I_ do that Stefan hasn't turned his emotions off – he's just focusing on revenge. People don't _think_ straight when they are looking for revenge! You _know_ that better than anyone else does!" She growls, holding up a hand as he goes to speak to her. "When Stefan finds out about this-"

"Stefan _won't_ find out, because you're not going to _tell_ him!" The raven haired vampire hisses threateningly.

"No, I won't – _Elena _will."

Damon scoffs, "Don't be ridiculous."

"Of _course_ she will – Damon, you may have known her longer than me but we are twins: one and the same and all that shit. I know her better than you; we know how the other is feeling, we _usually_ have the same thought pattern... I could tell from the look on her face that she wants Stefan to know... But I also want you to know that she doesn't feel guilty about it, either."

Damon's shoulders slump at this; he stares down at Evelyn hesitantly as he allows this information to sink in. Evie sighs, running a hand through her chocolate curls before pushing herself off of the car.

"Why are you saying all of this to me?" He asks, and the doppelganger finally sees that Damon _is_ feeling guilty about it. "I know Stefan loves Elena and she loves him, but you don't know how _long_ I've waited for it... And it was _right_, it just felt right. Even with Katherine I never felt like that, and I spent one-hundred and forty-six _years_ looking for her; so if you're worried about me hurting Elena, then just _know_ that I will _never_ do something like that... I will _never_ do what Stefan has done."

"Yeah I know that, but I can tell that you're taking _advantage_-"

Damon has his fingers curled around her throat before she can finish the sentence. He growls venomously, pinning her against the car door as he snarls his words.

"_How dare you_ accuse me of that! Dont'cha think I already feel _bad enough_!"

"It doesn't matter about how bad you feel!" Evie chokes as she digs her fingernails in to his hand, trying to pry it off. They are breaking in to his flesh but he couldn't care less, right now. "As long as you're getting Elena to fall for you, right?"

"You _BITCH_!" He snarls, throwing her to the ground. Evie curses at him as her head connects with the sidewalk – a sickening crack resounds through the empty street. She growls angrily, rubbing where her skull has so obviously broken. The doppelganger lifts her head and looks around; she curses once more as she realizes that Damon has left – without his car. She climbs to her feet and rushes inside, making Elena and Bonnie jump as she rejoins them in the kitchen.

"Look, Elena – I know you don't regret that kiss with Damon but Stefan _loves_ you. You know it, Damon knows it and everybody else knows it – hell, even _Klaus_ knows it! You're going to tell Stefan it happened, because if you don't then _I_ will."

Elena opens her mouth to say something, but in a blink, Evie is gone.

...

Evelyn feels too betrayed to stay at home. She can't talk to anyone right now because they are all keeping secrets from her, and although she knows that it is her own fault she is still hurt. Instead of trying to follow Bonnie and Elena, she has decided to come and see the only person who will understand what she is going through – Caroline. She feels quite lucky as she notices the blonde's car just coming in to park in the driveway: _excellent timing!_

"Evie," Caroline smiles as she climbs out of her car and spots her vampire friend. "How are you?"

"I'm... Pissed off," The doppelganger grimaces. "But surprisingly enough I'm settling in to the whole vampire thing... It's much easier than I expected, actually."

"Good," She claps. "Just make sure to stick to the blood bags _whenever_ you feel thirsty and you'll be fine."

Evie smiles and nods, looking at Caroline properly since the first time they started talking... She frowns as she notices the worry pinching her forehead in to a crease; she is gnawing on her lower lip, too. She looks worried, and sad.

"Is something wrong?"

"Uh," Caroline sighs. "It's what happened last night... With Tyler biting me."

"Oh god, I forgot all about that! How are you? I'm so sorry!" She throws her arms around the blonde, hugging her tightly. "I talked Klaus in to giving you some blood – I'm so glad he listened to me!"

"Me too," She laughs weakly. "I could hardly believe it when my Mom gave it to me... Thank you so much, and tell him that, too."

"If I see him I will," Evie nods, forcing a smile on her face to hide the guilt.

"So, do you want to come in? We can sit down, have a drink and you can tell me about what's got you so pissed off," Caroline offers sweetly.

"Thanks, but I can't get in to your house, remember?"

"Oh, yeah! My Mom's working... What about the grill?" She asks.

"Hmm..." Evie muses, "Sounds like a plan!"

"Great! I'll just grab some cash from my room and we'll go – I'll be back in a minute!"

Evie smiles slightly as she watches her friend disappear in to her home, and then leans against a wall whilst she waits for her to return. She hears Caroline ask someone '_what're you doing here?'_ and frowns – listening closer. She groans as she hears Tyler reply, saying that he came to apologize. _Apologize_, Evie scoffs to herself. _He bit her – apologizing doesn't make up for that_.

She would know.

She gazes at the grass that makes up the Forbes garden as she loses herself in thought... She had not realized just how alike her situation with Klaus is to Caroline's situation with Tyler. Their boyfriends are hybrids, they have both bitten them and both of the hybrids are now facing the consequences... The only difference – and a big difference – is that Tyler was forced in to it by his sire bond, whereas Klaus bit her out of his own free will. She shivers, wondering what would happen if Klaus got mad enough to bite her again. It would kill her, this time – especially if he became too angry to heal her... And that is why she is so scared of getting close to him, again. Once the trio come outside, Caroline quickly explains Tyler's plan of breaking his sire bond. Evie is awkwardly introduced to Bill, who explains that Tyler is going to have to turn in to a wolf, and then they leave. Care apologizes for bailing on her, but Evie reassures her that this is a lot more important.

_What to do..._ The doppelganger muses, skipping up the steps that lead up to the Gilbert's home. She doesn't have _anyone_ who she can talk to, now. Bonnie and Elena have left already, Damon and Ric are probably getting drunk, Jeremy's in Denver, Stefan is... Well, Stefan is being _Stefan_;and Klaus... Well, who knows _what_ Klaus is doing? Whatever it is, it can't be good. Anyway, she feels too guilty to talk to him – he may have bit her, but what he said about never hurting her again had been from the heart, and she had practically pushed him away. That _had_ to hurt, especially because she is one of the only people on the _planet_ that he would say something like that to.

Her prayers (or nightmares) seem to have been answered, because when Evie walks through the door Stefan is stood hovering over the 'Abby Bennett' files. She groans in annoyance but shuts the door anyway, walking in to the kitchen as he hangs up his phone. _This is the last person that she wanted to see today_.

"Who were _you_ talking to?" Evelyn asks Stefan with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

"Elena," He replies. "Their headed to Elena's dead parent's lake house... In Monroe."

"The lake house is in..." Evie trails off, and then realizes what Stefan means. "No, Stefan – _don't_ follow them!"

"It's not _safe_ for them to leave town, _especially_ now that Elena knows where the coffins are! Klaus will hurt the people she cares about most to get the information out of her!" He growls.

"I didn't realize you cared," She grins.

"I don't – but I _do_ care about those coffins being kept away from Klaus and that isn't going to happen if they blab!"

Evie sighs and runs a hand through her chocolate curls, thinking about this. Stefan is right about Elena's safety, but is Klaus even aware of what Bonnie and Elena's plans are? Plus, he doesn't have any _idea_ that Elena knows where the coffins are... _But_ he does know that Bonnie knows... But Evie kind of _wants_ Klaus to find the coffins, after discovering that they are trying to open the mysteriously locked one. If Klaus gets his hands on them then he'll survive... _But what's stopping him from killing everyone else afterwards?_ Surely he'll _destroy_ Stefan once he has his family – and the mystery person/object – back... And despite Stefan turning her in to a vampire, he is still her friend... Deep down that _human_ side of him that she met back in Tennessee is still there. Whichever option Evie chooses, someone is going to end up hurt... And as much as she loves Klaus, her family comes first.

"Ok, go after them," She nods. "Oh, and do you have any vervain?"

"Sure," Stefan pulls out a vial full of diluted vervain and hands it to her, "Why?"

"I'm going to keep Klaus distracted; that way, he won't look for anyone. Have you seen him today?"

"Yeah, he was at the Boarding House earlier. He'll probably be drowning his sorrows in the Grill or something," Stefan smirks evilly, causing Evelyn to roll her eyes. She screws the lid off of the vial and then quickly throws her head back and drinks the substance. She covers her mouth with her hand to stop herself from screaming as the liquid scorches her mouth, throat and stomach – it feels like she just drank corrosive acid... But it will stop compulsion. _If_ Klaus tries to use it on her to ask where anyone is, she will not be forced to tell him. Stefan watches as her face smoothes out from the painful grimace it had twisted in to and frowns, "You're going to have to drink it every day. If you build up a tolerance then it won't affect you as badly as it just did."

"M'kay," She nods, chewing on her lower lip for a moment. "Now go, make sure that Bonnie and Elena are safe. _Don't_ let them tell _anyone_ where those coffins are."

...

Evelyn nervously plays with the ring that Klaus gave her as she thanks the man holding the door open for her. She steps inside the grill and looks around – the bar/restaurant is as dark as usual; with most of the light coming from the lamps hanging on the walls. The darkness does not stop people from spending their lunch times here – the vampire spots numerous amounts of her school friends as she searches the tables, darts board, pool tables and then the bar for Klaus. After saying a quick hello to Sandra and Ben, she scans the room once more – growing frustrated as she admits to herself that he mustn't be here, any more. The doppelganger heads to the bar and compels the barmaid to get her a Tia Maria, and then sits on one of the stools, hanging her head in her hands as she thinks over where he may be.

"Fancy meeting you here," Evie drops her hands on to the bar and turns to the side to see Klaus with a glass full of whiskey. He is smirking ever-so-slightly, which tips her off to the fact that he has been hiding from her this whole time. She sighs and rolls her eyes.

"Don't hide from me," She pouts playfully.

"I thought you would have appreciated it – you've made it perfectly clear that you do not want me around," He replies, averting his gaze to the petite brunette barmaid as she sets Evelyn's drink down on the table. The doppelganger notices, but she does nothing to show that she cares. He is only doing it to make her jealous... And it is not failing, but she will not show it.

"Don't be like that," She takes a sip of her drink and smirks. "You know I love you."

"Do I?" His head falls to the side slightly as he watches her curiously; Klaus is not so stupid as to not see that she is trying to distract him, but he will play along... The way her chocolate eyes are looking him over makes him wish that she would try to distract him more often. "And how can I be so sure?"

"Well," She smiles at him sweetly. "Once I have got over everything that has happened, and we are back together again, then I can show you... I just hope you'll hold on to my promise."

"And what would that promise be?" He asks, raising his hand to tuck some loose curls behind her ear. She blushes slightly and lifts her own hand, wrapping her fingers around his.

"My promise of forever," She whispers tenderly... As much as she is trying to distract him, she means the words that are being spoken – cheesy or not. Klaus' eyes are blazing with emotions, but one of them she misses is the sadness. He does not believe her; he _knows_ that this is a little distraction... But instead of confronting her about it he just nods, because right now she is his, and he cannot bear to part with the side of her that she has been keeping from him. Especially because he know that, once Evelyn finds out what he is having Daniel do to Bonnie's mother and adopted brother, she is going to hate him that much more than what she already does...

_But family comes first._

...

Daniel stands, leaning against his car, in the darkness. The hybrid listens to the sound of a car speeding its way towards him and smiles successfully – _Klaus will be pleased with me_, he thinks to himself merrily. Soon enough, the car is pulling over in front of his. He turns to the left as the engine stops thrumming and Abby Bennett climbs out, slamming the door behind her. The Witch glances behind to make sure there is no one else around and then walks closer to the hybrid, ignoring her instincts to run. His hazel eyes meet hers expectantly, and she sighs, her worry for Jamie's life has her shaking... She is expecting a gunshot to resound through the forest at any minute now.

"So?" Daniel mumbles; impatiently waiting for her to speak.

"She didn't tell me where the coffins are – _the vampire_ showed up-!" She attempts to explain herself, but Daniel does not care for explanations.

"Did Jamie take care of him?"

"He did," Abby sighs guiltily, "But she's not going to talk now, there's _no way_ – I've _tried_!" Her voice increases in volume as her panic rises; she _hates_ the position she has been put in to... Acting against family to protect family... But what choice does she have? All she can do is do what this _monster_ asks of her and pray that everyone will come out of all of this unharmed.

"Well you should _try again_," Daniel replies mockingly, gesturing to where one of her car doors have just opened. Abby looks back and sees that Bonnie is now up on her feet, looking around in anger and confusion. The older Bennett witch hastily makes her way over to her daughter, coming to stand in front of her.

"What'd you do to me?" Bonnie asks tiredly.

"You'll be fine," Abby reassures her, "But don't try any spells – those herbs I used muted your powers." This causes Bonnie to panic, she turns around and spots the strange man leaning against a car besides theirs and then turns back to her mother, suddenly realizing that they are no longer at the house.

"Where's Elena?" She snaps, turning around as she begins to try and escape – Abby grabs her before she can.

"She'll be fine, too – Bonnie _listen_ to me; I _need_ your help! I need you to tell me where those coffins are!"

"Why?" Bonnie asks, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Abby quickly glances at the hybrid and then looks down at her daughter, once more.

"Because if you don't, that man compelled Jamie to _kill_ himself!" She replies, begging Bonnie with her eyes to just tell her... Jamie is like a son to her, and it will _kill_ her to see him die like this. Bonnie quickly looks back once more at the strange man – the _hybrid _– who just glares at her. She grimaces due to her guilt and turns back to her mother; tears fill her sad, brown eyes.

"I can't – this goes beyond you _and_ me." She gulps, trying to fight off the lump in her throat. Bonnie notices movement, and looks down to see that Abby is inconspicuously typing her a message on her cell phone. She watches her hand and glances back, checking to see if the hybrid has noticed.

"All you need to do is tell me where they are, and then we'll have held up our end of the bargain," Abby stammers, not really focusing on what she is saying as she taps the letters on her phone. She finishes the message and then hands her phone to her daughter. "Bonnie, _please_," She begs desperately.

_Warn your friends_ – is all the message says.

...

It is just after nightfall when Klaus drops Evelyn off at the Gilbert's family home, and as the thrumming of his car disappears as they say their goodbyes, she feels herself begin to fall apart. The moon is a beautiful crescent tonight; its light casts the houses, trees and roads in to a silvery glow. Evelyn cannot enjoy it's beauty, though. She has grown more and more anxious as the day has gone on – spending hours just talking to Klaus has helped her get over some of that fear she had felt; she is nowhere near forgiving him for what he did, but she _does_ feel guilty for what she is doing to him... She knows about her family and friends plans to open that coffin and kill Klaus, but she is keeping it from him, and has spent the _whole day_ with him knowing that he's going to die because of her... And the more she laughed and joked with him, the worse she felt about it.

_What should she do?_ She wants to keep everyone alive, but that is proving to become harder and harder to do every day. Klaus and Stefan are at each other's throats, and it seems like they will stop at _nothing_ to gain leverage over the other. Stefan has stolen Klaus' family, threatened to turn Elena in to a vampire, _turned_ Evie in to a vampire, forced Klaus to send his hybrids out of town and is now doing whatever he can to open that fourth coffin... Klaus has done _nothing_ so far – he has no leverage over Stefan, and that makes her feel all the more guilty. Right now, Klaus is completely alone, and she is working with the man that has put him in that position. Evelyn knows that Klaus does not trust her, but she _does_ know that he doesn't believe she would help Stefan kill him... And that is exactly what she is doing by keeping this from him. _And what for?_ Klaus cannot kill Elena, and that is the only family member she should be concerned about... But then she looks at Bonnie, Caroline, Alaric, Damon and Stefan and realizes that their lives are just as important. It seems like she is an insider on team Stefan and team Klaus, and no matter what side she chooses, it will still land on her if – _when – _somebody dies, because all she has to do is either leave Stefan to open the coffin or tell Klaus where the coffins are, and then one of them will die at the hands of the other. Not only that, but she will be hated no matter what choice she makes, because either her sister's lover will die, or her own lover will...

"Evie," Damon's voice snaps her out of her thoughts. She looks over at the vampire as he walks over the lawn to stand in front of her. Despite the darkness, she can see everything as clear as day – his worried expression suddenly has her worried, too.

"What's happened?" She asks.

"Klaus had one of his hybrids get involved with Elena and Bonnie's visit to Mama Witch and now Bonnie has no choice but to tell Klaus where those coffins are being kept – she said to hurry up and get them out of the house. I'm going to need your help. We've got to get to the abandoned witch house _now_ _– let's go_!"

She doesn't understand why she sets off in to a run with him until a _brilliant _plan hits her. She pulls out her cell phone and does what needs to be done, for now...

_**Evelyn Gilbert  
><strong>__The coffins are at the abandoned witch house and Damon's going to try and get them out before you get here – HURRY! X_

...

"AAAAAAH!" Stefan cries out agonizingly as the intruding piece of wood is _finally_ pulled out of his chest. Elena gasps as she admires it, cringing as she tries to imagine the agony that Stefan was going through for _hours_... That had been scraping against his heart; threatening to end his life. The Salvatore brother pants as he feels his body begin to heal, watching as Elena wipes the blood from her hands.

"You've changed," He notices, causing Elena to stop trying to get rid of the blood. She looks down in to his mesmerising hazel eyes, and is shocked as she sees a hint of his old self; it takes her breath away... He looks as if he is admiring her changes – like he is _pleased_ with them. "Something's different about you," He whispers. "You're stronger, and tougher." The vampire admires her figure, wanting to add _and sexier_, but he quickly deems that thought as inappropriate. Elena looks away – down at the blood on her hands – and then lets out the breath she had been holding in.

"You're not the only one who's changed, Stefan." She meets his eyes defiantly, "We all had to," Stefan laughs once without humour, nodding his head at the fact. When you've got an original vampire screwing with your life you have to learn how to fight – physically and emotionally.

"It's good, though," he smiles slightly – she can see it in his eyes... He's proud of her. As she gazes down at the man she loves, Evie's words from earlier replay in her mind. '_You're going to tell Stefan it happened, because if you don't then I will.' _Oddly enough, Elena finds herself _wanting_ to tell him... She feels guilty about him not knowing; plus, this may just bring a little bit more of his humanity back. She looks down and sighs shakily, "There's something I have to tell you... And it's not because I feel guilty that it happened, it's because I feel guilty that you don't know," The doppelganger pulls out another piece of wood from Stefan's chest, causing him to grunt in pain. She pauses for a moment, throwing the fragment of wood aside as she inhales deeply. "I... kissed Damon."

She watches Stefan carefully, taking in every little bit of his reaction. The ripper's hazel eyes lose the slight joy they had held just a minute ago to be replaced with sadness... But not surprise. He frowns, thousands of questions hit him but he already knows to the answers to the _what's? _And the _whys?... _It's because he left, he changed in to someone that he never really wanted to become – and then Klaus compelled his humanity away, forcing him to become the monster that has _always_ been inside of him. It broke free of its chains and caused so many people distress – Elena especially... He hurt the woman he loves more than he would have ever imagined he could do. Threatening to kill her, mocking her, turning her sister... He doesn't know who to blame for the kiss – his brother, Elena, or himself...

God, he's _so sorry_...

Elena feels guilty for hurting him, but it is better that he knows. She does not want to keep her falling for his older brother a secret, anymore... "There, all done." She murmurs softly. Stefan doesn't look at her or even show any signs of listening to her – he simply gets on his feet and walks away. That is when the tears fill the doppelganger's eyes...

She didn't realize just how much this would hurt him.

...

The darkness may not distort Evelyn's vision, any more – but it doesn't stop her from feeing like she is venturing in to the unknown. Standing outside of this witch house, she feels like a child again... Just _knowing_ that there are around one-hundred unquiet spirits locked within is simply _terrifying_, and the atmosphere is indescribably chilled. As she slowly takes uncertain steps through the front door, she keeps reminding herself that she is a vampire – there is no need to be afraid of the dark once you are a creature of the night.

It doesn't comfort her in the slightest.

She is not sure how, but she knows _exactly_ where to go as she travels through the various hallways of the witch house... She is almost expecting to turn a corner and run in to a ghost, with how intense and suffocating the atmosphere is. The vampire wishes that the floor would swallow her whole – anything to get away from this _creepy _feeling. Eventually, she makes it down a flight of stairs and walks in to a room where a dozen or so candles have been lit. Probably by the witches. She sighs and pulls out her cell phone, frowning at the message Damon sent her.

_**Damon Salvatore  
><strong>__Thanks for the help, but you know I can't trust you. Moved the coffin, so don't get any ideas. ;)_

"_Fuck_," Evie growls, staring at the spot that the fourth coffin had been in. How could she have been stupid enough as to believe that Damon would _actually_ leave it there? Better yet, when did she become so predictable? Had he seen the text she had sent Klaus? She doesn't know, but unintelligible whispers seem to be filling the room... And Evelyn is pretty damn sure that she is the only living – or undead – figure in here. She looks around; swallowing the bile that has rose in her throat. She has _never_ felt this scared in her life. She would take a thousand bites from Klaus over _this_. "Witches?" She whimpers, eyes glancing from space-to-space as speaks. "I'm guessing that you're mad with me... And I'm sorry, but—AAAAAH!" A sudden burst of agonizing pain sets off in Evelyn's brain – it feels like they have planted bombs inside her skull and set them off simultaneously. She cries out, holding her head in her hands as she falls to her knees – not caring about the pain that shoots through them that seems almost _good_ compared to that in her head.

Evie attempts to fight the pain as she tries to climb to her feet; the doppelganger sets her focus on the voices. They are whispers, spits and hisses – the witches are telling her to get out without using actual words. Evelyn looks around again, and the pain returns with a vengeance. _It hurts so much_. She screams piercingly as she falls to the ground once more, tears stream down her cheeks as she begins to sob. She has only just become a vampire; she is not used to dealing with pain that should bring death. _Are the witches really this cruel? She was only trying to protect the man she loves. _She notices that the candles scattered around the room are burning brightly – their flames stand lean and tall. _They are drawing power from natures elements_.

Klaus feels himself freeze in surprise as he stands in the doorway; the energy emanating from this witch house is _incredible_ – but also dangerous. He frowns at the piercing screams that seem to be coming from downstairs. Realizing who it is, he does not hesitate to race down there. Just as he makes it in to the candle-lit basement, the screaming stops. Klaus scans the room; candles are scattered everywhere – their small flames illuminate the decaying wooden walls and dust-covered shelves, but aside from the odd piece of old, unusable furniture there doesn't seem to be anything in here.

Except for Evelyn.

He gasps slightly as he spots her curled up in the foetal position on the ground. She seems to be unconscious – the hybrid snarls angrily at the witches, but they do not respond. It angers him more than if they had hurt him, too, but right now he has other matters to tend to. Scooping the doppelganger up in his arms, he runs with her out in to the dark of the night, stopping just outside the house and propping her against a fallen tree. He strokes her hair from her eyes, momentarily forgetting about how angry he is with her.

"Evelyn," He whispers softly, "Come on, sweetheart. Wake up. You're safe, now."

She does not respond – _of course she doesn't; those witch-bitches have knocked her unconscious_. The hybrid sighs, sitting on the dry, dirt-covered ground beside her as he does so. Whilst he waits, he opens up the message that she had sent to him and re-reads it a few times. _So this is what she was keeping from me_, he thinks to himself bitterly. _How long has she known about the placement of the coffins? How could she keep this from me...?_

Where did their relationship go?

That question catches him off guard – his anger suddenly becomes pity and sorrow. _God, since when have I been so... human? _Klaus has tried to run from just that for the past thousand years – he has _succeeded_ – but seeing Elijah, Rebekah and Mikael again... Nothing can make you feel more fragile and human than family, or the woman you love. He is aware of how soft he has become, especially for Evelyn. Give and take a few mistakes, he _has_ protected her a lot more than he has harmed her. Now, for instance – he was _beyond_ furious when he received that text, but once he found her in there, screaming and broken... Something just _changed_. She looked so fragile and helpless that he felt compelled to help her.

"What have you done to me?" He muses, stroking her tears away. Maybe it isn't just Evelyn, though. All of this _really _started upon seeing his older brother. He had not felt true anger, hurt or betrayal ever since the eleven-hundreds, up until the point where Elijah almost killed him. _Yes_ – the ritual was where the change first began within him. _Once you let the bad in, then the good sneaks its way in too, one way or another_... And it did. He felt anger, loneliness, rage and betrayal – that became passion, and passion slowly became love; and love can change you immensely. He has learnt that the hard way, because the hurt, anger, betrayal, loneliness, love, fear, sadness, happiness, hope, joy and every other little emotion that Evelyn has ever made him feel have changed him _so much_. He loves her, he _hates_ her, but he couldn't live without her. _That _is how much she means to him. _God, I've become such a brooder. And I complained about all the others doing this. _He chuckles: despite not wanting to feel anything human, _he does_. There is not much that he can do about that now. He _cares_ too much. Of course, he is _still Klaus_: he only cares about a handful of people. Mainly his family.

Evie groans as she takes a deep breath, Klaus gets on his feet as her eyes flutter open, hiding his true emotions from her. The doppelganger looks around at their darkened surroundings – trees galore, mainly. She sighs, rubbing her head for a moment before looking up, she gasps in shock.

"Klaus," She quickly jumps to her feet upon seeing him, "I'm so sorry! Damon had me move the coffin with him; I was planning on telling you where he'd put it... But he's moved it again. I'm _so sorry_!"

"What do you mean?" He asks, frowning, before realization dawns on him. "You _helped them_?"

"I thought... I thought it would save your life, and theirs... Klaus, I have only just found out where they were keeping the coffins myself – I _swear-_"

"But the coffins... You knew about the other – the locked one - didn't you?" All Klaus has to do is look at her guilty expression to know the answer, but she tries to explain herself anyway.

"I found out about that this morning – I wanted to tell you but then I was scared that if you got the coffins back then... Then you'd kill Stefan."

"_STEFAN DESERVES TO DIE, EVELYN_!" Klaus roars, storming over to her so they are inches apart. Evelyn flinches away from him in fear; tears fill her doe-like eyes as she freezes on the spot. "HE _TURNED_ YOU IN TO A _VAMPIRE – HE KILLED YOU –_ YET YOU _CARE_ FOR HIM?"

"He was my _friend_!" She yells; a sob escapes her lips. "I just want to keep everyone _ALIVE_!"

"Well, you're _failing_ at THAT!" The hybrid hisses.

They stay like that for a moment. She stares in to his eyes and he stares in to hers. They are both panting, both _glaring_... Tears stream down her face, and he feels less than compassionate about that, now. She has betrayed him _again_ – and for _what_? STEFAN'S _LIFE_? He does not understand why she would want to protect that after everything that he has done to her: to _them_. The tension could quite literally be cut with a knife, but no one makes a move to leave. It is uncomfortable, but they cannot really think of anything to say, anymore. Klaus sighs, clenching and unclenching his fists to regain his sanity – he cannot give in to his werewolf side; the side that just wants to take his anger out on her physically. _Not a good idea._

"Is there _any way_ that I could stop you all from fighting?" Evie murmurs shakily, forcing Klaus to meet her eyes once more. "What can I do to ensure that you don't kill _anyone_ after you get those coffins back?"

Klaus stares down at her in disbelief, opening his mouth to snap at her for looking at him like that... With those big, brown, innocent eyes; she is too empathetic for her own good. Although that may be good, considering that she probably would not love him, if she wasn't. The hybrid sighs tiredly, ignoring her question.

"Are you not as tired with this as I am? All this fighting, all the lies... We have broken up so that our relationship does not cause any problems, but here we are." He laughs without humour, "Do you realize that, now we are no longer together, we have more problems than we did before?"

"Klaus, not now," Evie snaps. "What is it going to achieve?"

"I don't know," He growls impatiently. "Some sanity? If we were together then I would not feel so..." Evie watches as Klaus frowns, he turns his head to the side, looking up at the witch house. "I don't know." He repeats, not knowing _how_ he feels. _Lost? Crazy? Alone?_

"You're confusing me so much," She yells, glaring at him angrily. "First you're mad, and then you're... _Missing me?_ What the _hell_ is _wrong_ with you?"

"YOU!" He roars, placing his hands on either side of her arms. "It is _you_! Working with Stefan, leaving me... You have chosen him over me, yet you are supposed to _love_ me!"

"I've not chosen _Stefan_," Evie shakes her head. "I've chosen _Elena_."

Klaus frowns, not really understanding. "But I would not harm Elena – I cannot _do_ that."

"No, but you'd use her as a blood bag for the rest of her life," She scoffs. "No one wants that, Klaus. How is that any better than killing her?" He opens his mouth to reply, but a sound catches his attention – he smirks.

"Ah, Salvatore," And as usual, Klaus' demeanour suddenly changes to that 'big bad wolf' thing that Evie hates. She turns to the right, spotting the Salvatore brother's figure walking towards them from the trees. His cerulean eyes are steely as he nods at Evie, and then turns to look at a smirking Klaus. "What took you so long?" The hybrid asks. Damon just shrugs, giving Klaus that cocky look that makes the hybrid want to tear his heart out.

"I'm leaving."

Klaus and Damon both turn their attention to her, at that. Damon goes to make a sarcastic remark to her chickening out, but the hybrid simply nods.

"I think its best you do."

"But this isn't over, Klaus. I'll wait back at the house. We'll talk there."

He gazes at her uncertainly; not sure that it is a good idea. After some consideration he nods, agreeing that it may actually be for the best - they have much to discuss, and here is not the place to talk about their relationship.

"Alright... I will see you there."


	16. Knotting Broken Ties

_Incredibly short compared to the other chapters, but better than nothing! I hope you all enjoy this. (;  
><em>Please review, I LOVE hearing what you all think. I can take criticism, hopefully it will help me improve. x

The abandoned Witch House is full of grime and filth, which has Niklaus grimacing as he enters the vile basement. You would think that after one thousand years on this earth, he would not mind filth – but he does. There are dozens of white candles burning brightly, which instantly leads him to believe that the coffins are here _somewhere_. At first he allows his eyes to wander, whilst Damon sulkily enters the room after him. _Is there a door leading to another room?_ But then the hybrid remembers – _this house is full of the spirits of 100 dead witches_.

The coffins are in here. The witches are hiding them.

"So, _this_ is where you have been keeping my family – hiding them behind your witchy friends... And in squaller, no less!" The brown/blonde haired man smirks cunningly, but that is quickly wiped off of his face – He cries out in agony as sudden explosions begin in his brain; the candle flames grow tall and fierce as he falls to his knees, trying to think of a way to stop the pain. Damon is taken aback by Klaus' sudden agony; it takes him a moment to realize what is going on... His confused expression quickly becomes a smirk. Klaus growls; he is clearly furious about the witches toying with him.

"Insulting a bunch of dead witches is _not smart_: I made the exact same mistake the first time I came in here," The Salvatore brother chuckles. Klaus desperately tries to block out the pain as he replies – _he does not want to look weak in front of this brat._

"Well, you know the funny thing about _witches_ is that, living or dead, they care about their own-" the hybrid half-hisses, half-growls as a new wave of pain hits him. "A hundred dead witches have a thousand living descendents-" the witches _do not_ like being threatened. This becomes obvious when unintelligible female-voices begin to hiss unrecognizable words. Neither of them can make out what the spirits are saying, but Klaus stops attempting to as a fresh wave of pain hits his mind. The hybrid roars in agony as he raises his hand to his head: _This must be what they did to Evelyn._ That only makes him angrier, "And I have _NO PROBLEM_ killing _every_ _LAST ONE OF THEM_, if I don't get my coffins _back_! As we speak my hybrid friend is _prepared_ to _end_ the Bennett line!"

More female-like-hissing ensues, which creates a _very_ tense and _hugely_ uncomfortable atmosphere. It sounds like they attempt a growl of some sort – and suddenly, the candles return to normal. Klaus lets out one last grunt of pain, and then sighs as the agony subsides. Damon looks around at the candles, realizes that the witches have given up, and then groans in agitation. Klaus looks over at him emotionlessly, and Damon just stares back awkwardly. The hybrid walks forward, closing the distance between them – as cocky as Damon is, he still feels intimidated by Klaus' presence. Klaus knows this. _Of course he does_.

"Now," Klaus whispers, looking up at the ceiling to refer to the witches, "_Please_(?) Show me the coffins."

Something catches Klaus' eye through his peripheral vision – he lowers his deep blue eyes down from the decaying ceiling to the four dust-covered, wooden coffins and smirks, pleased with his success. _His family.._. _He has finally found them._ He walks closer to their caskets, smiling as he counts them: _one, two, three_...

No fourth.

His smirk disappears to be replaced with panic. Within a millisecond, Klaus masks that with rage. He turns around to face Damon, remembering what Evelyn had said. _They have moved it_.

"Where's the fourth?" Klaus asks, threatening the vampire with his eyes.

"Well, I think our so '_very trustworthy'_ doppelganger has already caught you up to speed, with that," Damon smirks devilishly, "I wanted to try and get all four, but Evelyn never gave me enough time, you know, texting you and all... But I _did_ have enough time to get _one_." Damon's grin increases as Klaus glares back at him murderously. He loves pushing Klaus' buttons; mainly because he knows he will not kill him... Never the less, he still dishes out empty threats.

"I will tear you _limb from limb_, and only then – when you're a _writhing_ mass of blood and flesh – will I tear your _heart_ from your _chest_."

"Sorry – same rules apply, you know... Leverage and all. I know you want your family back, but _something_ tells me that you want what's in that coffin a _lot more_..."

Damon walks off after that, chuckling to himself happily.

...

_Oh my god._

Daniel lets out a loud sigh from where he is laid on the couch of the Originals home; he has been watching Evelyn pace back-and-forth for about half an hour, now, and it is beginning to irritate him. The hybrid heaves himself off of the plush cushions and uses his speed to stand in front of her – she ends up walking straight in to him, way too lost in her messed-up thoughts to focus on her instincts. She stumbles back from him, and he chuckles.

"Evie, chill, alright?"

"I can't, Dan! I'm _freaking out_ right now... Just stay out of it, you don't understand," She hisses. "Did you know he _bit_ me!"

"I think we all do," He chuckles again. "Klaus has specifically told us to not lay a finger on you, and I guess it's because of _that_."

Evelyn's brow furrows as her chocolate eyes fill with disbelief, "He did?"

"Uh-huh," The hybrid nods, and then takes hold of her wrist and leads her to the couch. "So I suggest that you stop worrying about him hurting you, that you _stop_ creating a draft and that you sit down and _calm down_."

Evelyn is about to protest, but Daniel pushes her down on to the couch by her shoulders. She lets out a deep breath and leans back, relaxing in to the comfortable cushions. The vampire opens her mouth to make a sarcastic remark, but the sound of a vehicle's engine and a rattling sound seem to be increasing in volume. Daniel turns to the door, listening closely.

"That'll be him," He murmurs. "He's probably going to get me to bring the coffins in – do you want me to tell him you're up here?"

"Please," Evie nods, fiddling with her sunlight amulet nervously. Her eyes land on the flames licking their way up the fireplace whilst she waits – the doppelganger tries to lose herself in the various shapes the fire creates, but her thoughts about Klaus are on overdrive. _What is she going to say to Klaus?_ Where can she possibly start? Are they going to argue again? She does not want to argue, anymore. She is too exhausted, both emotionally and physically. This is surprising, seeing as she does not _need_ to sleep every night, anymore. Evie hangs her head in her hands; her chocolate curls form a curtain around her face as she sighs deeply. She hopes that Klaus isn't still mad; mad about her not telling him about her friends' plans with the fourth coffin... She does not want to fight, anymore.

...

Once Klaus has ordered Daniel to watch over the coffins, he heads straight to the living room. Evelyn grows more and more agitated at each footstep getting closer, but she hides her panic behind a calm facade. She keeps her eyes on the flames within the fireplace, even when Klaus enters the room. His deep blue eyes set on her still, stiff frame, and he feels himself grow quite nervous, too... He has not really contemplated what to say, either. They sit there for a moment, worrying...

_Ok, let's just do this - I can't sit here worrying about how this is going to go down forever._ Evelyn inhales quietly, and then _finally_ brings herself to say something.

"So... you got your coffins back?"

Evelyn's voice quivers whilst she speaks, but Klaus understands what she is saying perfectly. He sucks in a deep breath and proceeds in to the room, his eyes remain on her stiff figure as the floorboards creak underneath his feet. The fire rages on, crackling and hissing every once in a while... Aside from that and their breathing, not a sound can be heard; at least, not for a little while.

"Evelyn," Klaus whispers, deciding to sit on the couch beside her, "Do not be afraid to tell me what a monster I am."

She laughs - the sound is void of any sort of humour, "That's just it - you _are_ a monster... But what's the point in arguing about it? You've made it more than clear that you won't stop. You threaten my family, my friends... You almost had Stefan killed today!" Evelyn scoots a little further away from him, putting more of a distance than what she truthfully wants between them.

"You know how I feel about Stefan's life," Klaus murmurs, gazing at the floorboards.

"So? You need to wake up and realize that you can't just kill people because you don't _like _them! It's _wrong_ - it's inhumane!"

"I'm not _human_!" He growls under her breath, losing his patience with her. Evelyn fights back her fear as she stands and turns her back to him.

"You're so hypocritical, Klaus. You give me 'permission' to be honest with you and then you just shout at me! When are you going to realize that you can't _intimidate_ people in to loving you?" The doppelganger turns back to look straight in to his cold blue eyes, "Haven't you figured it out? That's _why _your family hates you... Why I'm _going_ to end up _hating you_. You push everyone you love away, and for _what_? Please enlighten me, because I _don't_ _understand _what you _gain_ from all of this!"

A bitter, tension-filled silence ensues as they glare at one another. Klaus tries to think of something else to say back to that, but once he has his mouth open the words freeze in his throat... _What can you say back to that? How could Evelyn, of all people, say that to him?_ Evie feels a prang of guilt hit her as the anger slips from his eyes to be replaced with hurt. _She's hurt him_.

"Klaus, I didn't mean it like that," She murmurs – her previous anger for him is forgotten about as she looks over at him in surprise. After everything, _that_ is what finally _gets to him_? Despite questioning his feelings for his family, she tries her best to think of a way to fix this. The hybrid sees her guilt quite clearly and quickly capitalises on it.

"I never wanted them to hate me," He whispers as he gazes at the far window, tears fill his deep blue eyes whilst he does so. "You don't understand – it hurt so much to do it. I know that it is my own fault that they hate me, just like I know that it is my fault that you don't want to be with me."

"Stop that," She frowns, catching the mischievous gleam in his eyes. "_Stop_ trying to make me feel sorry for you, Klaus. Don't you realize that your failing attempts to manipulate me will also push me away?" She laughs in false surprise, "Why is everything so damn _hard_ with you? Just say you're sorry – if you genuinely meant it and promised you wouldn't hurt the people I love then _maybe_ we wouldn't _argue _so much! You don't see me trying to drop your family in the ocean, so _why_ do you try to take mine away from me?"

Klaus' face is covered with surprise as he just stares at her. No one has ever been able to speak to him like this... But when he looks at this from her point of view, he knows that she is right. He _is_ a bad person, and he _should _feel guilty about it... But he doesn't; he only feels guilt when it comes to her and his family – he has to make her understand that.

"Evie," He stands from where he is sat and exhales – her eyes linger on his frame as he walks around the room, admiring the newly bought trinkets and flowers as he does so. "I love you," He meets her eyes at that. "You _know_ that I love you. Can you not see that?"

"I... I do," She murmurs quietly, "It's the only reassurance I've _got_."

"And I'm thankful that you believe me," He sighs in relief before frowning slightly – his flawless forehead creases as he keeps his eyes on hers, "But I am a different man when it comes to you and _only you_. Granted, my family see the same side to me too, but I have known them for _one thousand years_," He is suddenly there in front of her, slowly and cautiously placing his hands on her waist. "I haven't known you for a quarter of the time I have known them, yet you mean _just as _much to me; I. _Love._ You... Just remember-"

"That you're _still Klaus_?" She mumbles tiredly. "Yes, I _know_ that, but," She whimpers, "Just stop threatening the people I love."

Klaus sighs, "How about this? I cannot guarantee you that I will leave your friends alone _until_ it is guaranteed that they will leave me alone, but I will not kill your family, and I _cannot_ kill anyone until I get that coffin back, anyway. I know that probably means that you're going to help them keep it, but just know one thing," Klaus trails his cool hands up from her waist, tickling his way up past her torso, her neck and then rests them on either side of her face. She shivers involuntarily, and a ghost of a smile plays on the corners of his red lips. "I couldn't _bear_ to lose you, so don't force me to do so. Killing me would mean that I would."

Evie smirks now, "You can be oh so _pathetic_ when you want to be."

"Why _thank you_," He grins, but quickly becomes serious again, "But it is true – when I say I love you, I _mean_ it."

"I know, I know," She sighs. "And I see what you mean by the others, they are now threatening you just as much as you've threatened them..."

Klaus smiles hopefully, a lustful glint shines within his deep blue eyes. Evelyn catches on to this and smirks back at him, "Does _that mean_-?" Evelyn cuts him off by standing on her tiptoes, taking hold of his wrists and pressing her lips to his in a hungry, passionate kiss. It causes Klaus to growl instantly, which sends a shiver of fear down her spine – but this is a _pleasant_ fear. Although she no longer thinks he will hurt her, she knows that that there is a possibility when he is like this – even if she _is_ a vampire. Oddly enough, her fear has her wanting _more_. She has _never_ felt like this before... It is like she is on fire and _every touch_ from her ravenous hybrid sets off a series of fireworks. He hoists her legs up on to his hips and she eagerly wraps them around him, allowing his hands to wander up her shirt. _Why the hell has she waited so long for THIS?_

"_AAH, UGH!" THUD!_

Their passionate kissing stops immediately.

"K-Klaus," Evelyn's eyes are wide as she meets his, which are narrowed suspiciously. "What... What was that?" A sickening squelching suddenly ensues from what seems to be downstairs...

Where the coffins are.

"I don't know," Klaus murmurs, "But I'm going to go and find out."

Evelyn's mind is on overdrive as she untangles herself from his body, shocked at what has jus transpired – she has gone from lust to fear within _seconds_. This quick and strong change of emotions has her out of control... But she is not just scared for herself, she is scared for Klaus, too. She knows that he will probably argue against her following him, but she does so anyway. Surprisingly enough he takes her hand as they head down the marble staircase; the hybrid turns around to look at her with steely blue eyes.

"Stay close... I think that..." He shakes his head, "I don't know – but whoever it is, they must be stronger than my hybrids."

They make their way through the foyer and through the glass doorway; Klaus leads the way to the coffins... Evie gasps as she stares down at Daniel's body; his heart is carelessly dropped on to his back. The image makes bile rise within her throat; the doppelganger clings to Klaus' hand with an iron-like grip, and he squeezes hers reassuringly. He _knows_ that someone is in here, but _who_...? _Where have they gone?_

"OH MY GOD!"

Evie shrieks as she feels gentle hands rest on her forearms, Klaus turns around instantly, his eyes wide with worry – and then shock. Evie inhales shakily and bites her lower lip, quivering in fear as the mysterious person seems to stare back at her boyfriend. Klaus' jaw drops and the stranger stood behind her brings her hair behind her back, leans forward and presses his nose to her throat. They breathe in deeply; _testing her scent_.

"Elijah..." Klaus' voice is a warning as his shocked expression becomes a possessive glare. The stranger - Elijah - releases his hold on Evelyn, but she is too paralyzed by fear to try and move away from him.

"Katerina?" He scoffs – the stranger sounds angry, "I thought you were smarter than _that_..." He sighs, but it comes out as more of a growling sound, "I see I have missed an awful lot, _brother_." Elijah glares at Klaus heatedly, and Evelyn gasps as she realizes... This is one of Klaus' _family members_!

HIS _BROTHER?_


	17. Bringing Out The Dead

_Thanks again to reviewers :) I don't seem to be getting as many - do people still want me to continue with this? Anyway, thank you to the people who are still reading this._

...

Evelyn whimpers; her arms are beginning to ache due to her tensed state. _His _hands may not have her in a steel grip, but even the softest of touches from this Elijah person has her body screaming _danger!_

"So," Elijah murmurs conversationally, "I see you are no longer alone."

"It is not what you think," Klaus rushes through his words, his eyes linger on where Elijah is _still_ touching Evie, "She is not Katerina or Elena – this is Evelyn, She is Elena's twin sister."

Elijah's fingers finally snake around Evie's arm; the vampire lets out a panicked gasp as the Original unexpectedly turns her to face him. Their eyes meet immediately, and she blushes underneath his angry-yet-intense gaze. Elijah's eyes are the colour of oak, and strands of deep brown hair fall in to them. He is slightly smaller than Klaus, but still slightly taller than Evie. He is wearing a black suit with a minx coloured shirt that is stained with dried blood: the stain is exactly where his heart is... Where the dagger _had_ been. He is more muscular than Klaus, but that is not _very_ noticeable underneath his suit... Once Evie feels like her gaze is lingering, she returns her eyes to his.

He is smirking.

"Evelyn," he murmurs gently, grinning down at her. "Such an exquisite name – I have not met anyone with that name for a _long_ time."

"Yes," Klaus snaps, causing Evelyn to look over at him. Upon seeing the anger in his eyes, she hurries to his side – the last thing she needs is to cause any more friction between the two brothers. Elijah has lost any trace of happiness, now. He looks down at their intertwined hands and then in to Klaus' eyes – the stare-down they end up getting in to is intense, and Evie is feeling more and more uncomfortable by the _second_.

"I'm, uh... I'm just going to go," Evie stammers, appreciating that they seem to be ignoring her right now. "I'm supposed to be meeting Caroline."

"Alright. I will speak with you later, _love_," Klaus replies, breaking off the stare-down to look at her. He takes her face in his hands and forces his lips upon hers, taking her lower lip in to his mouth and snaking his tongue across it; Evelyn gasps at his unhidden passion, and her blush deepens as she realizes that Elijah is most likely _watching this_. She is annoyed that Klaus is doing this to purposefully spite his brother, but she says nothing about it. Finally, he pulls away, and Evie shares and angry-but-flustered glare with Klaus before rushing out of the room at a speed that only a supernatural being could achieve.

...

_I'm so stupid_, Evelyn repeats to herself mentally as she enters Mystic Falls Hospital. The scent of iron hits her immediately, and she has to hide her face behind her curled hair – to hide her darkened eyes and elongated fangs – as she clings on to her self control like it is her life support. _Not now, not now, not now_, she chants internally, feeling so _dumb_ for not drinking a blood bag before she came over. It's Klaus and Elijah's fault – if they had not distracted her with their suspicious contact with her then _maybe_ she would not have the kill-innocent-people urges. _I'm not stupid,_ she decides, _the Originals are._

"May I help you?" A petite blonde nurse asks, holding up a clip board and pen as she meets Evelyn's eyes. The brunette quickly shakes her head.

"Um, no, thank you, I am just waiting for my friend. She is picking up her Dad, so..." Evie trails off, and the over-helpful nurse _annoyingly_ begins flicking through some papers, her glasses slip down her button nose as her green eyes scan the pages.

"Would you like me to check if they have come out yet?" She finally asks, and despite Evelyn's irritation at the nurse she nods. "The patients name?"

"Um..." She thinks back, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment. "Oh! Bill Forbes."

"Bill Forbes... Forbes... Ah, here he is. He was in the intensive care unit after a—oh, my! An _animal attack_!" The nurses green eyes widen in shock and horror, "But... How is he able to leave today? He should be _dead_ with the injuries he sustained!"

Evie feels uneasy at that – _had vampire blood healed him?_ She shakes her head – Bill Forbes would rather die than consume vampire blood, there is _no way_-

"Hey Evie," Caroline murmurs quietly, clicking away at the keyboard on her cell phone.

"Oh, Caroline!" Evie smiles at her friend before thanking the nurse for her help. She looks around, expecting to see Bill up and ready to go... But he never shows. "Where's your dad?"

"He's not _here_ – he was already discharged," The blonde replies irritably. Evie frowns at that, wondering if Bill _had_ been healed with vampire blood.

"Did a vampire heal him?" Evie whispers, watching as Caroline looks up from her cell to her eyes. The blonde vampire nods, her golden curls sway with the movement.

"Dr Fell – Alaric's new girl – blood-jacked Damon yesterday; she used the blood to heal my Dad," She explains. "Meredith seems nice enough but she knows that I'm a vampire, so I'd watch it around her. She is a little intense, but nice! That is a good thing, because I know that Elena wants to make sure Ric isn't dating a total psycho."

"Yeah, she does," Evie smiles, continuing to speak to Caroline as the blonde lifts her cell phone to her ear – calling her father, "He's her family, and I guess he's mine too... We don't have much of that, so we need to look out for each other."

"Shh," Caroline hushes her, listening closely... Evelyn is about to ask why Caroline looks so suspicious, but then she picks up on the distant ringing of a cell phone. Could that be a strange coincidence, or not? She tucks some strands of brown curls behind her ear, listening closer...

"Is that...?"

"It's my Dad's phone," Caroline nods, glancing around uneasily.

"I hear it," Evie murmurs quietly, listening to the shrill chiming of the phone. Caroline heads over to a door labelled 'STORE ROOM' and Evie follows her, watching as her friend raises her hand to the steel door handle and pushes it down. The door creeps open slowly; they both share an uneasy glance before cautiously making their way in to the darkened room. Of course, the darkness does not do anything to hinder their eyesight, but it still creates an uncomforting atmosphere.

Inside the store room, there are stacks of metal framed shelves all placed in neat rows. Each of the shelves are piled with blue or yellow boxes that are full of files and various other objects; Evelyn keeps her newly defined senses wide open as she searches the room, following Caroline as their eyes glance from place-to-place. It seems that, as they get closer to the final row of shelving, the shrill chiming of the phone gets louder.

Once they reach that row they realize why.

...

"Nice haircut, brother," Klaus murmurs, finishing the glass of wine he had poured for himself as he watches Elijah enter the room. His long brown bangs are now gone – they have been replaced with a short, spiked style that looks _much better_ on him. Elijah ignores Klaus' compliment; he meets his brother's gaze and exhales deeply, finally putting his long-mused thoughts in to words.

"So," Elijah fastens the cufflinks on his new deep blue shirt whilst he speaks, "It seems like much has happened since you _daggered_ me," His oak brown eyes narrow, but his voice remains calm. "Care to explain yourself?"

"I have nothing to explain," Niklaus chuckles, "I fell in love, brother. Is that such a crime?"

The corner of Elijah's lips flicker in and out of a grin whilst he pours himself a glass of red wine, "No – not at all. But _do_ tell me, why was it so foolish of _me_ to fall for a doppelganger, yet when _you_ do then it is sane."

Klaus dislikes where this conversation is leading.

"Katerina was just like _her_, Elijah." The hybrid snaps icily, "a manipulative little _whore_."

Elijah chuckles as he leans against the table Niklaus is sat at, taking a sip of wine as he ponders his next sentence. "What about the lovely Elena?"

"What about her?" Klaus scoffs.

"You do not see anything when you look at her? Come on, Klaus - they look _exactly_ alike..."

Klaus slams his glass down on the table and pushes his chair back, stepping up to his brother and glaring at him, "What are you _insinuating_? That I have feelings for them _both_? Elena means _nothing_ to me; it is her _blood_ that I must protect..." He trails off, stepping back as he smiles. "But to _you_..."

Elijah scoffs, "I am not so foolish as to make the same mistake I made _twice _before."

"Elena is not like them," Klaus analyses, "She would never shag the first man in sight... You have fallen for her personality – how she empathises so easily, how she _seems_ to care for you..."

"No," Elijah grinds his teeth together, "Elena is _not_ a whore, but she has pitted two brothers against one another... _Just_ like Katerina and _just like Tatia_."

Klaus feels the growl build in his throat as he loses his control, with a snarl he seizes his irritating older brother by the throat and forces him in to a wall, pinning him there by his throat much like he did with the coffins earlier. Elijah snarls too, but it does not phase the angered hybrid in the slightest.

"_DO NOT MENTION THAT BITCH!_" Klaus roars, seething with anger and _panic_, "I _see_ where you are taking this and I _swear_ if you so much as mention the Original Petrova in front of _Evie_ then I _will_ _KILL YOU_!"

Elijah merely smirks before pushing Klaus off of him, rotating his neck so that it clicks as he stands up straight once more. Klaus' eyes are full of his desperation, which makes Elijah feel even better about this. If all else fails, then he can use this information _against_ Klaus... Even if he did dagger him again it would be _epic_ to see his face if the Petrova left him.

"You do amuse me, brother. You seem to be this untouchable and emotionless being, but once you peel the layers away, you are _nothing_ but a pitiful mess..."

"Elijah," Klaus hisses, holding back his misery as much as he can, "Just stop this, _stop_ speaking of her... Stefan and Damon will be here soon."

...

Caroline begins to shake as she drops to her knees in front of her father, her breaths become laboured and she begins to sob uncontrollably. Evelyn freezes upon seeing what her friend is seeing... Bill Forbes is sat on the ground with his legs sprawled out in front of him, his back is propped up against the shelving, his eyes are shut and his skin is unnaturally pale... There is so much blood surrounding him... What horrifies her the most is that there is a knife stuck inside his chest, and the scent...

The scent of iron is _everywhere_.

"Oh god..." She gasps, squeezing her eyes shut as the room begins to spin. Her fangs extend and Caroline's cries of _'Daddy please don't be dead' _become distorted and unheard to the newly turned vampire... All she can smell is the iron... She can just taste the blood on her tongue, thick and sweet and _delicious_ as it slides down her throat and vitalises her body. She darts her tongue out to wet her dry lips and whimpers at the burning in her throat. Evelyn's stomach growls – she is _so thirsty_...

_Dad._

Evelyn pictures his angriest expression and imagines it aimed at herself – how disappointed would he be if she killed someone? Slowly but surely, Evelyn forces her inner monster back in to its confinements. She thinks of Elena, Jeremy, Alaric and everyone else that she cares about – the _humans_ that she cares about and, eventually, everything becomes clear and _normal_ again. She can hear Caroline's sobs, and immediately remembers what is going on – her eyes snap open as she falls to kneel beside her friend.

"Don't be dead, Oh _god_!" The blonde is in shock, but she manages to regain some form of control as she grabs the knife buried in her father's chest and pulls it out. She drops it to the ground carelessly, tears stream down her cheeks as she stares at his lifeless body. "Daddy, NO!" She is shaking, and the sobs are threatening to completely take over her body. After all this time, after _everything_, he is just _dead_? She feels like a lost child – as if a huge hole has been burned in to her chest... Her _daddy_ is _gone_.

"Caroline, he has vampire blood in his system!" Evie remembers aloud.

"What?" Poor Caroline is in shock so deeply that she cannot understand what her friend is saying until her father jumps, gasping in as much air as possible. The two girls stare down at him, overwhelmed with panic, fear and a small sense of _relief_.

"_Caroline_," the way that Evelyn says the blonde's name has her turning around to look at her attentively, "Look, I _need_ to feed and I need to feed _right now – _get your Dad in to another room and I'll go grab a blood bag and call your Mom, alright?"

"O-Okay," Caroline breathes in response before turning back to her shocked and confused Dad.

Evelyn carries out her tasks as quickly as possible – first of all she steals a blood bag from the donation unit and then she heads in to the woods beside the Hospital. Whilst she consumes the blood she gives Caroline's Mom a quick call and explains what happened, and then she texts Klaus, explaining that she is going back to his house in about half an hour. Once she has finished, she heads back in to the hospital and focuses on the sound of Caroline and Bill's voices. She quickly discovers the room that they are both in.

"I called your Mom," Evie speaks to Caroline, not bothering to greet either one of them as she enters the room. The doppelganger glances at Bill, thinking back to the text she had received before she arrived at the hospital. Elena had said that the weapon used on the murdered medical examiner belonged to _them_, and that it had Elena's fingerprints on it... She recognized the knife used on Bill, so she _knows_ that whoever attacked Bill had got the weapon from their house, meaning that the same person _must_ have murdered the other victim. "Mr Forbes, did you see your attacker?"

"I didn't see anything, I tried to sneak out the back exit and someone attacked me from behind."

"Look, we'll figure this out – but in the mean time we _need_ to get you some blood," Caroline explains, watching her father with wary eyes. She knows how much he is going to hate becoming a vampire, so she has to make the transition as smooth as possible for him... Bill feels an overwhelming guilt flood through him as he looks down in to his daughter's eyes with determination.

"I'm not going to drink any blood."

"What?" Caroline gasps, turning around to look at Evelyn for some assistance.

"You have to! You died with vampire blood in your system; if you don't feed then you'll die... It isn't _that bad_, Mr Forbes. I only turned the other day and I have already learnt how to control the bloodlust-"

"I understand how it works," Bill murmurs, ignoring Evelyn's attempt to sway his decision as he meets Caroline's angry blue eyes, "And that is what I'm prepared to do. Now, get me out of this hospital, I smell blood _everywhere_," He storms over to the door and heads out of the room as quickly as possible.

Evelyn and Caroline just stare at one another, too shocked and grief-stricken to say anything.

...

"HEY—Oh," Evie bites her lower lip awkwardly upon entering the Originals home, realizing that Klaus, Elijah, Damon and Stefan are all in the middle of a meal. "Um, sorry guys... Well," Evie glares directly at Stefan, "To _you_, not so much."

"You're just sour because I killed you," Stefan chuckles as he places his cutlery down on to his half full place and sighs. "Well, I'm done."

"Oh, it is _fantastic_ to know that I didn't interrupt you, bestie," Evie replies with an immeasurable amount of sarcasm. Stefan just smirks at her, ignoring her failed attempts at irritating him. The doppelganger looks away from Stefan and ends up meeting the familiar oak brown eyes she had first seen earlier on... _Elijah's_. She does not know what it is, but there is something about his gaze that makes her _very_ uncomfortable; the unexplainable feeling makes her feel like she has to be touching Klaus whenever Elijah is looking at her. She heads over to the hybrid, now – clenching her teeth to hold back a remark she really wants to make about the two pretty human girls in the room. Once she reaches him, she carelessly sits herself on his lap.

"I haven't finished _eating_," Klaus mumbles irritably.

"That's okay, you don't need human food anyway," She replies, taking his knife and fork from his hands and placing them on to his plate. Damon chuckles lightly before taking another mouthful of food, and Elijah watches this newly acquainted doppelganger with curiosity. After a moment, he turns his gaze to Stefan.

"Stefan," he draws out the Salvatore's name before continuing, "Where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

"I don't know," Stefan glances at his brother and then meets Elijah's eyes, "Ask Damon."

Klaus stifles his chuckles by burying his face in to Evie's hair, which has her nudging him in the ribs; her chocolate eyes are full of annoyance as she glares down at the hybrid. Elijah looks at his brother and then holds his hands up in a confused gesture, glancing from face-to-face to decipher what he could have _possibly_ said wrong. After the nudge from Evelyn, Klaus inhales and tries to regain some composure – his amusement is still obvious in his expression and tone.

"I'm sorry; you've missed so much... Uh, trouble in paradise," Klaus explains in a nutshell.

"One more word about Elena and this dinner party is _over_," Stefan warns everyone, clearly agitated by the Elena-talk. Elijah presumes that the pair have split up, but he does not say anything else about it. Klaus playfully presses his finger to his lips in a quiet motion, and Evie sighs deeply before grabbing his wrist and pushing his hand down on to the table – he looks up at her in irritation, but she just rolls her eyes in response.

"Kill joy," He mumbles.

"Maybe if you weren't so hell bent on irritating people then I wouldn't be," She replies sarcastically. The other members of the dinner watch their irritated exchange in fascination and confusion – they had never imagined that anyone could speak to Klaus like that, never mind someone that he has only known for a couple of months. Elijah feels his anger swell at the comfort he sees in his brother's movements; _how did he fall so blissfully in love... And how did she manage to fall just as hard?_

"You know what?" Damon asks, "It's probably best to keep Elena in the 'do not discuss' pile."

"You're probably right," Klaus mumbles as he fights back another chuckle.

"Yeah," Damon agrees.

"It's just the _allure_ of the Petrova doppelganger," Klaus' words become slightly seductive as he presses his lips to Evelyn's bare shoulder, causing her to blush and bite her lower lip. _Damn seductive hybrid_, she thinks to herself, "It is _so very strong_..."

"I agree," Elijah speaks up, shocking Evelyn as well as everyone else – all eyes turn to him, but the only eyes he truly sees are Evie's. He feels himself grow angry again - how is it fair that this _monster_ has found someone who loves him no matter _what_ he does? In his moment of rage, Elijah decides that it is time the girl knew what she was getting in to, "What do you say, brother? Shall we tell them about Tatia?"

Klaus freezes underneath Evelyn. The doppelganger looks down at him in confusion, but that quickly becomes suspicion as she notices the murderous look he is giving his brother. Evie turns to Elijah, meeting his eyes.

"Tatia? Is she, what...? The Original Petrova?"

"Indeed, she _was_," Elijah corrects her.

"Now, now," Klaus forces himself to laugh, "Why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"

"I wouldn't say _that_," Elijah replies, smirking as he casts his eyes upon Stefan and then Damon, who are watching him with interest. "Maybe this trio would like to know about Tatia, seeing as history does _love_ to repeat its self in this town – _our_ story will explain just _where_ that history began."

"What?" Klaus is _fuming_, now, "The history of your inability to stop yourself from falling for each and every one of them?"

Elijah chuckles, "Wow, Niklaus – that was _very_ desperate of you."

"Stop that," Evie snaps, climbing off of Klaus' lap as she glares at the two Original brothers for a moment. "Elijah, get on with it, please."

"Yeah," Damon backs Evelyn up, "We're not going anywhere, Klaus. Please," The dark haired vampire raises his glass of wine from the table as he speaks, "Do tell."

Klaus' stomach churns as he grinds his teeth together and balls his hands in to fists – he knows exactly what is going to come of this, but he does not know _how_ he is going to reassure Evelyn that she is the woman he loves... That he has ever _truly loved_ far more than any other.

She is not going to believe him.

"When our family first settled here, there was a girl named Tatia..." Elijah's eyes of oak admire Evelyn whilst he explains the story to them, "She was an _exquisite beauty_... Every boy of age desired to be her suitor, even though she'd had a child by another man... And none loved her more than Niklaus... Or myself."

Evelyn feels like she has been slapped in the face. Her breath hitches in her throat and her heart aches painfully within her chest as she slips in to shock.

W-What?" Evie gasps at his revelation, "You mean... You and Klaus... You loved Tatia, who looked _just like me..._?" Evie locks her gaze on Klaus as he suddenly stands from his seat, watching her warily. He goes to take a step forward, but she takes two steps back. Her beautiful features twist in to an angry scowl as she meets his eyes, "Stay _away_ from me...! Is it true?"

"Evelyn, I can-"

"I ASKED YOU A _QUESTION_!" Evelyn roars, her breath becomes shallow and tears blur her vision as she watches Klaus' physical reaction... His eyes are full of fear and sadness, but he cannot bear to lie to her again. He nods upon realizing that there is no way that he can speak aloud, right now. At the confirmation, a sob escapes Evelyn's chest as her heart seems to shatter within it... She has given up so much for this man – she loved him irrevocably and unconditionally despite him killing her mother, sister and aunt... Despite him causing her father's and her own death... After all the pain, sadness, love, guilt, happiness, loneliness: after _everything, she_ has meant nothing to him all along...

Suddenly, she recalls Rebekah's words from _months_ ago, now. It was back in the parking lot in Chicago... They had been arguing, and Rebekah had strangled her. Once the blonde Original had released her, Evie had asked why she did it, and Rebekah had replied: _"Because__you__are overstepping your boundaries, not only with me but with my brother. You are a human - Klaus will not love you... It is completely insane to even dream that he would. You are a pathetic little copy of the woman he once loved; the only feelings that are brought up from the sight of you will be the feelings that he had for__her__."_

"No," Evie sobs, shaking her head, causing tears to fall down her cheeks, "All this time... After everything... I meant _nothing_ to you? I was just a _replacement_?"

"No! _Evelyn, PLEASE-_"

"SHUT UP!" She snaps, forcing Klaus in to silence. She glares at him hatefully, allowing the rage to consume her, "Don't try and feed me _anymore lies_... Elijah has already made it _more than clear_ where I stand with _you_. I am _not_ some slutty bitch you once loved, I am _Evelyn Gilbert_!"

"I know _THAT, _Evelyn-!_"_

"Here's the thing," Evie seethes, "I don't _believe _you."

She does not want an audience for this, and she knows that Klaus will follow her, so she runs from the house. The four males watch as the doppelganger becomes a blur, disappearing through the front door. Klaus lets out a _very_ shaky breath that he was holding in, and after staring at the door for a prolonged moment he turns his _enraged_ eyes on to his brother.

"I wouldn't try to _run_," He hisses in the deadliest voice Stefan and Damon have _ever_ heard Klaus used, "Because when I'm done here, I will ensure that you will _never_ see the light of day _again_."

Klaus disappears, at that point. He follows the fresh trail of Evelyn's scent deep in to the woods surrounding their home, searching for any sign of the doppelganger; _his_ doppelganger... _What has Elijah done? How could he hurt her like this? _The answer to that is simple – because he wanted to hurt Klaus. He is so angry at his younger brother that he wants to cause him as much pain as possible, even if that means hurting innocent people in the process. Evelyn did not deserve that... Not at all, but certainly not in front of an _audience_! Klaus lets out a growl at that, fighting the sudden urge to turn... The anger has him wanting to become the wolf that he is, but he cannot do that right now – he has a relationship to save.

Finally, he reaches where her scent is the strongest. It is in a small clearing that is illuminated by the crescent moon within the starry sky... The clearing is nothing spectacular – it is just a small circle with an old well sitting, abandoned, in the middle of it. Evie is leaning against the edge of that same well with her face in her hands, sobs rake through her chest and tears stream down her cheeks... Klaus feels his anger towards his brother build up once more, but he decides to push it aside, for now. Evie is much more important than a family argument.

"Evelyn," Klaus murmurs uncertainly, "_Please_ will you let me explain myself before you get all worked up?"

"It's too late for _that_!" Evie sobs, wrapping her arms around herself as she glares up at Klaus, "How could you? How could you not _tell _me about that? How could you pretend- Who do you _see_ when you look at me?"

"I see _you_!" Klaus yells, biting back his fear as he strides over to her from the edge of the clearing. "Evelyn, I see _you_! Yes, I loved Tatia, and _of course_ you look like her but it has been _one thousand years_ since I loved her! Once I became a vampire and had my werewolf side cursed then I was given a _lot_ of time to think things through... I realized that she was not worth what I went through with Elijah. He is my brother, and she had played us against one another just like Katerina did with the Salvatore's! Do you _really_ think that I would seek out to replace _that_ with someone else? If that was the case then I would be with Katerina right now!" The hybrid runs a hand through his hair and sighs, realizing that Evelyn is actually _listening_ to him – he continues as quickly as possible. "When I started to fall in love with you, I considered the pros and cons of it all... One of the _cons_ was that you look like Tatia simply because I knew that, eventually, you would find out about her and I was afraid that you would leave me..." He hesitantly reaches his hand up to cup her cheek; the hybrid upon realizing that she is not going to push him away. "So to answer your question, my love, when I look at you I see an eighteen year old woman; _Miss Evelyn Gilbert – _A beautiful, strong, intelligent, witty, irritating, stubborn, fierce, incredible woman – someone whom I have _never _met before in my thousand years of existing... Someone who I have fallen so _madly_ in love with, more than _anyone_ I have _ever_ loved before."

Evelyn sniffles, but her sobs have now stopped. She reaches up one of her hands to wipe her tears away, but Klaus intertwines his fingers with hers and wipes them away for her. She focuses on inhaling and exhaling properly, and Klaus gives her a moment to regain her composure, but he still keeps a firm grip on her hand, just as she does on his. Evie thinks over everything that just happened, and everything that has happened within these past few months... Back to the first kiss they shared, to the numerous times that he has saved her life, how he would hold her in his arms simply because he _wanted_ to... She thinks about every cheesy-yet-wonderful moment that they have shared, because the little things like that make her _believe_ that what he is saying is true. Klaus may have done a _lot_ of bad things to her, but he has _never_ lied to her about his love for her... He has always told the truth when it comes to love, and she finds that she trusts him with _that much_.

"I believe you," She nods, and Klaus sighs in relief. The look in his eyes just has her believing him that much more; because this is the happiest she has seen him in _weeks_.

"Thank you," He whispers before pulling her in to a tight embrace, "I am sorry that I did not tell you about her sooner... And I am sorry that my brother is hell bent on turning you against me."

"Don't worry," She whispers, hugging him back, "I'll make him aware of his failure."

...

"So," Stefan smirks in amusement whilst looking at Elijah, "You and Klaus both loved the _same girl_?"

"Yes," Elijah nods, gazing in to space as he speaks. "Our mother was a very powerful witch... She sought to end our feud over Tatia, so she took her... Klaus and I would later learn that it was Tatia's blood that we consumed on the night where our mother performed a spell which turned us in to vampires," The Original takes a drink of his wine before continuing. "Tatia wouldn't make a decision between the two of us, so for a time Niklaus and I grew estranged. Harsh words were traded – we even came to blows, a few times..."

"Why are you telling us this?" Damon asks, eyeing the Original suspiciously. Elijah smiles ruefully, at the question, and then sighs.

"Because... Well, as you already know, history tends to repeat it's self in our town. I wanted to warn Evelyn... Before it was too late."

"You mean before she fell for you too?" Stefan asks, unable to hide his amusement at this. Elijah keeps his eyes locked on the wall, not looking up to see the smile that he _knows_ is on Stefan's face.

"Yes," He mumbles.

"Or is it?"

"What do you mean?" Elijah asks, finally raising his eyes to meet Stefan's. The Salvatore smirks, proceeding to take a drink of his own wine before explaining.

"It's no secret that you have a soft spot for the doppelgangers, Elijah. You want to protect Elena, just like you wanted to protect Katherine five hundred years ago."

"You are very perceptive," Elijah notes, "I am impressed."

"What're you two _talking _about?" Damon snaps, getting irritated at being the odd one out, here.

"Elena is a human, and Elena must _remain_ human to keep peace within this town." Elijah explains, "But I highly doubt that she will remain a human with you two constantly worrying about her aging... What about when she does die? What if she dies because of your constant fighting over her?"

"_Your point is_?" Damon hisses, clearly showing that he is irritated by Elijah's harsh words.

"You need to leave the doppelgangers be, gentleman... If not then you are going to cause many problems for the residents of Mystic Falls."

"Ugh," Damon scoffs, pushing his chair back as he stands. "That is _it – _I need some air."

...

Once Evelyn and Klaus return to the house, Damon has already left and the meals have been cleared away. The two humans have disappeared, but Evie tries not to think about whether or not they were killed as she keeps a tight grip on her boyfriend's hand. Elijah looks down at their intertwined hand, and then chuckles. Stefan takes another sip of his wine, watching Evie and Klaus emotionlessly.

"Welcome back," He murmurs – raising his glass as if to toast their return. Evie just glares at him – she is _really_ beginning to dislike Klaus' older brother.

"Why _thank you_, brother," Klaus grins mockingly and successfully. "I see that Damon has gone... Have you got them to bring me the coffin, then?"

"No," Elijah replies coolly, shaking his head, "I thought that we should have dessert first." The Original clicks his fingers, and Evie watches as the blonde human enters the room – _at least one of them is alive_, she thinks to herself in relief. The woman walks over to Elijah, who proceeds to remove a golden cloth from an antique tray.

On the tray, there are two silver daggers.

"What've you _done_," Klaus orders, gripping Evelyn's hand tightly. Evie feels her own eyes widen as she inspects the daggers, considering just how long the other Original's have been un-daggered for, now... _Minutes? Hours?_

"What've _you_ done?" Elijah replies, "You see, I've learnt not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus... We're doing this on my terms, now."

The couple watch as another male joins them in the room – his clothing seems to be outdated by one hundred years or so, leading Evie to jump to the conclusion that this is one of Klaus' other brothers. This brother does look similar to Klaus, actually – he is lean and tall like Klaus, but his hair is slightly darker and his eyes are the same oak colour as Elijah's.

"Kol," Klaus speaks his brother's name as if he is going to attempt some sort of explanation, but it seems that he is having _none_ of that. Before he can do anything, Klaus quickly lunges for the silver daggers on the tray – but another hand grabs them before he gets the chance to. Klaus' horrified eyes look up to meet the oak coloured eyes of his _other_ brother, Finn. Evie takes note of his appearance like she did the others; he has long hair - the same colour as Kol's – slightly tanned skin, and his clothing is extremely outdated... She tries to place a year on when he may have been daggered, but she cannot come up with anything – she stops trying to once she realizes what the Originals are going to do.

"Finn, don't," Klaus begs, but his brother ignores him. Finn grabs Klaus' wrist and stabs the dagger in to his hand – Evie gasps in horror as it goes straight through. Klaus cries out in unhidden agony, and Finn pulls the dagger from his hand. At that, Klaus tries to escape, but the doorway is blocked by a familiar blonde. Evie feels her hopes rise slightly as she recognizes Rebekah.

"Rebekah-" Klaus tries to reason with her, but she drives her own dagger in to his stomach before he can continue. He chokes on his words and slumps forwards, and Rebekah's eyes twinkle in a sickening sort of delight.

"This is for our mother," She whispers – after a moment of allowing her brother to suffer, she pushes him backwards. The hybrid stumbles and almost falls, but Kol catches him and restrains him – preventing him from leaving. Elijah glances at Evelyn, who is paralysed with horror, and then looks over at Stefan.

"You are free to go... This is family business."

Stefan considers leaving Evie to watch, but he feels too cruel, allowing her to do that. He grabs her forearm and she does not complain – she just stares back in to Klaus' eyes, watching as he mouths the words _'don't go.'_

That snaps her back in to reality.

"No," Evie snatches her arm from Stefan's grasp, speaking to the Salvatore but keeping her eyes on Klaus'. "I'm staying _here_."

"Suit yourself," Damon scoffs, leaving without a second thought – if she wants to watch her boyfriend get tortured then she can go ahead and do it.

...

After leaving the Originals house, Stefan decides that he should go and check up on Bonnie and Abby – she had sent Damon a text during the dinner party that told him that they almost had the coffin open, so it's probably best to go and see how they are doing. The vampire heads down in to the caves, almost jumping as he runs in to his older brother.

"What're you doing here?" He asks.

"Doing exactly what you're doing," Damon replies hurriedly, "Bonnie and Abby are unconscious... The coffin is open, but whatever – or _whoever_ – was in there is gone."

"Ugh," Stefan growls and then forces his fist in to one of the cave walls, _"Fantastic._"

...

"I like what you've done with the new place, Nik," Rebekah drawls sarcastically, admiring the room with disinterest. She carelessly picks up a glass vase from a side table and throws it, watching as it shatters against a painting, knocking the artwork off of the wall.

"I wanted it to be for all of us," He chokes whilst gazing down at the ground sadly, guilt has consumed him, "A place where we could all call home, a place where we could all be a family... None of us would ever have to be alone, again."

"None of _us_ will be," Elijah replies, walking over to Rebekah and standing beside her. Klaus just watches his brother with confused, tear-filled eyes.

"You're staying behind," Finn speaks up for the first time, going to stand beside Elijah. Klaus pushes himself off of the table, standing in front of his siblings as they explain their plan.

"We're leaving you, Nik. Right after I kill that doppelganger witch..."

"Bekah," Evie speaks up for the first time, gathering all of the Original's attention. She glances from each of them shyly and worriedly, "Please... Elena is my _sister_..."

"It seems that you won't be entirely alone," Elijah smirks at his brother sarcastically, "Evelyn will still be by your side... Unless she chooses to come with _us_."

"I wouldn't _do_ that!" Evie growls, going to stand beside Klaus with her chin raised defiantly, "I _will_ stand beside Klaus, always and forever." She takes Klaus' hand, and he intertwines his fingers with hers, but he is still _desperate_ for his family to stay.

"If you run, I will hunt _all of you down-_"

"And then you will become everything you _hate_," Elijah smirks triumphantly, "Our _father_."

"I'M THE HYBRID!" Klaus roars, pointing at himself, "_I CAN'T BE KILLED_! I have _nothing_ to fear from any of _you_!" He scoffs.

"You will when we have that coffin," Elijah counters, gazing at his brother, watching as his angry snarl slips from his face to be replaced with panic and sadness. They are all so emotionless... But, deep down, Evelyn understands why they are treating him like this. She has wished that she could do the same thing plenty of times... But you cannot run from love – she knows that it would be too painful to even try. They can hate each other as much as they like, but they could never leave one another – not forever, anyway.

Suddenly, the handle of the front door is pushed down. Everyone turns around, awaiting the intruder's entrance... Everyone's expression seems to change as beautiful blonde woman walks through the front door. Evelyn does not recognise her at all, but from the way that Klaus' siblings look like they have seen a ghost and the way that Klaus gasps and releases her hand, it does not take her long to guess...

This is their mother.

Esther is a beautiful woman, even though she is wearing an unflattering green dress from the Viking era. She is quite small with long, wavy hair – that is just a shade lighter than Klaus' – and wise hazel eyes that flicker from each one of her children as she stands before them.

"Mother," Rebekah gasps breathlessly, her own hazel eyes widen in shock at the sight before her... But once Esther's eyes settle on Klaus, she does not look elsewhere. Evie turns around and away from the woman to see that Klaus is on the brink of a breakdown. He is gasping for breath, and his eyes shift from space-to-space as he fails to build up the confidence to look at her. He has done _so much_ to disappoint her... Killed mercilessly, spoken ill of her, killed their father, daggered his siblings... How could he expect anything less than death at this point? As he considers this, he thinks that maybe it will not be so bad – surely it will be easier than facing his mother's disappointment and being left behind by six of the seven people that he loves the most? Esther notices his hesitation and quickly becomes irritated.

"Look at me," She orders her son, standing directly before him. Klaus inhales sharply – _yes_, he thinks, _I can accept my fate, now. Surely Rebekah cares about Evelyn enough to help her get over my death... She may stay with my family; re-build a life without me..._ He looks up at his mother, pushing away all of his fears and misery as he finally meets her gaze. Tears slip down his cheeks, but he ignores them as he looks in to her eyes.

"Do you know why I am here?" She asks, but it sounds more like a demand.

"You're here to kill me," Klaus barely manages to whisper the words, but everyone in the room can hear them quite clearly. Evelyn wants to scream, but she has been frozen with shock and fear _again_... Any noises that she should be able to make have been taken away from her; it is as if someone has stolen her voice.

"Niklaus, you are my _son_, and I am here to _forgive you_."

Evelyn's whole body seems to ease up, at that point – relief and happiness replace the majority of her shock and fear. Klaus' shock and relief shows through, too – he can barely _believe_ what he is hearing... Esther takes her sons hand, and then turns to the rest of her children. They all stare at her with dumbfounded expressions, but she ignores their shock as she speaks once more.

Her next words shock them even more than her previous ones.

"I want us to be a family again."


	18. My Saviour

_GUYS! 22 REVIEWS! Thank you THANK YOU __**THANK YOU!**__ I didn't realize that so many people read this, it has made me so happy! So, I had this idea yesterday & I just had to write it down, and after that overwhelming response I decided to share it with you all! I am definitely continuing the story! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! :')_

...

_**Set in 1500 AD: What is to become Mystic Falls.**_

Klaus Mikaelson inhales the fresh air that can only be found in the countryside, away from civilisation. It is not so much that there is anything to pollute the air he breathes in the cities he has being venturing for the past five-hundred years, but more along the lines of the human _blood _that is alwayssurrounding him... The delectable scent of iron can become _very_ overwhelming, which leads him to escape the crowds, once in a while... Well, it is not _just that_. Rebekah can quite easily get on his nerves, and he on hers. They have decided to part ways for a couple of months – Rebekah is touring the rest of Europe whilst Klaus has decided to return to America... Well, to be more specific, he has returned _home_.

Somewhere he has not been since 1021.

To say that he feels nothing, at this moment in time, would be a lie. He would be immensely humiliated if anyone stumbled across him, right now. He is sat in dirt – his doublet, stockings and breeches are covered in filth... But in this moment in time he does not care. He does not resemble the rich lord he has been impersonating for the past five hundred years, at all... He looks lost, scared and broken – like a _child_. This is because of the memories that returning to this place has stirred up within him. His mother's caring nature, his brotherly hunts, the teasing comments swapped between sister and brother, the time spent teaching young Henrik how to ride a horse...

All of that is gone, now.

If a man screams, and no one is around to hear, then is he still wrong in doing so? Niklaus does not worry himself with the answer as he cries out, allowing the raw frustration, anguish and heartbreak that he has been holding back for _years_ to come to the surface. He has lost so much, and somewhere between killing the innocent, searching for the doppelganger, having his mother locked away in a coffin and daggering Finn he has lost himself... Where has _Niklaus_ gone? Where is the man that he once was? The one who cared for his family, the one who did not have nightmares every single time he slept because he had neutralized his brother and trapped his mother... People believe that he is emotionless – that switch only works for around two hundred years, and then everything just seems to suddenly flood back. The anger, the grief, the guilt, the heartbreak, the _loneliness_...

Loneliness is the worst thing.

Niklaus has felt lonely ever since he discovered Tatia's death. To say he is over that is a lie... But it seems that he does nothing _but_ lie, in this day and age. To find his lover sprawled across the ground – drained of blood – is one of the most traumatic things that has ever happened to him...

That was what caused him to become a monster.

The Original growls as he rakes a hand through his long, dirty blonde waves. He feels like a freshly turned vampire, as he climbs from his knees to his feet. His emotions are all over the place – he knew they would be, when he returned _home_. The rubble of the wooden buildings – if you could even call them that – that once occupied this land reminds him of his family: once whole, and now broken. They were torn apart at the seams by this _curse_ that their parents placed upon them, and he has spent over five hundred years trying to cling on to what little he has left... But he has lost _so_ much more than he has truly gained. He may be a celebrity amongst the humans and the predatory species, but he is still unhappy. Klaus will never be as happy as Niklaus was... He can barely remember what happiness feels like, any more.

_Tatia_...

His sudden burst of anger seems to dissipate as he shuts his eyes, picturing her underneath his closed lids. Perfect olive skin, full red lips, the figure of a goddess, the smile of an angel... She was graceful – _spectacular_. Every male in this small village had done anything and everything they could to persuade her to choose them as her husband. Yes, Niklaus had been _just as desperate_.

Only, he had _succeeded_.

Or so he _thought_. His angel turned out to be a demon in disguise, as he later discovered that she was caught between his brother and himself. He had fallen for her lies and clung on to worthless promises – fought with his brother time and time again to come out empty handed. The pair of them did, and they deserved to... All their quarrelling ended in heartbreak, as their mother had used her to turn them in to beasts. Their estrangement, their fights, their arguments and their hatred led to her death... Even to this day, Klaus still blames himself. But as much as he once loved her; he _hates_ her. She was the beginning of the end – one of the many reasons why their mother turned them in to monstrous creatures. Esther did this to keep the people she loves alive, but at what cost? They will never _find_ love... Every sane creature on the planet fears them. That brings him straight back to the loneliness... It is _unbearable_, and he feels it even whilst he stands in a crowd amongst hundreds of people. Even when he is with a family member, he still feels it – the gnawing sensation buried deep down inside that tells him that something is missing. He has considered death quite a few times, just to get away from it... But _one thing_ keeps him alive: knowing that he will not feel like this forever.

It was 1384, and he had just arrived in a small town that he had heard was stacked full of witches. Upon his arrival, he had met a plain but powerful witch who went by the name Lufu. Lufu had somehow managed to discover his long-buried humanity, and although Klaus felt no romantic connections to her, he still cared for her. He spent the rest of her life with her, even after she had married another man and bore 10 children. His time spent with her taught him much about the witches; one being that they can dream of the future, or their dreams can be affected by other witches, even ones who have passed away – they could even affect the dreams of a vampire, if they were strong enough. One night, he had stumbled across a spell to make you dream about your soul mate. On that very day he had been worried about what he would do once Lufu had passed away, so he asked her to carry out the spell on him, just to see if he would really be alone forever. He had been so disappointed when he awoke, realizing that he had never actually _seen_ her, but he _is_ an original – no witches power could be strong enough to deeply affect him. Klaus can remember what transpired in the dream as clearly as if he is dreaming it again right now – although he was trapped in darkness, he could hear _everything... _And he had heard a name. That one name is what he focuses on when he is like this – alone, miserable, angry. _Suicidal_.

_Evelyn._

He inhales deeply and then exhales shakily; slowly, he opens his eyes and looks around. He is still at whatever remains of his home... Still heartbroken and sad and alone; but this will not last forever... He remembers _her _gentle voice whispering her name to him; her breath fanned out against his cheek as she did so, and he had never felt so relaxed and reassured in his _life_. He smiles slightly, toying with the daylight ring on his little finger. He can be a very patient man, but he has never been this _excited_, before. Evelyn is going to save him from this despair; she will remind him of what it feels like to be human...

He will wait as long as he has to if it means she will be his, someday.


	19. Dangerous Liaisons

_Oops, guys, it has been pointed out that I forgot the toast scene! *facepalm* that was only the most crucial moment in the whole episode! So, **I have added it in just after Klaus and Evelyn head back inside.** Sorry again, & I hope you like it :)_

_..._

"It was their mother, Esther, who was sealed in that coffin," Evie announces to the Salvatores before taking a deep drink from the blood bag in her hand. At the moment, the trio of vampires are stood in the Gilberts kitchen – Evie is leaning against the counter whilst drinking one of her daily blood bags, Stefan is perched against one of the other counters in the room and Damon is sat on the table, casually tossing an apple from hand-to-hand.

"As in the Original witch?" Stefan asks, disbelieving that this could be _possible_; Klaus had _torn Esther's heart out_ over one thousand years ago... She could not _possibly_ be a vampire after that... Could she? Or is she human...?

"What?" Damon adds, in the same tone as Stefan, mirroring his thoughts with his words, "I thought her hybrid freak show of a son ripped her heart out over a _thousand_ years ago."

"Do you mind, please?" Evie snaps, narrowing her eyes angrily at Damon, who shrugs in feigned innocence. Evelyn has accepted that her friends will never get along with her lover, but does he have to be so blatantly disrespectful in front of her? Stefan sees that she is getting angry, and speaks up to get their attention back to the problem at hand before an argument ignites.

"How is she even _alive_?" He asks. Evelyn glances over at Stefan and sighs, running a hand through her hair as she speaks – all of this talk about the mother of the Originals is really beginning to wear her out, but she has to tell them this if she wants to keep them alive. Evelyn does not trust Esther at all, and even though these two brothers are not her bestest friends, she still cares about their wellbeing.

"I don't know, I'm guessing she has a couple of connections in the witching community. She said that she wants to live in peace with her family, _including _Klaus, and..." She frowns, disbelieving that what the Original witch said is the truth.

"She was supposed to be the weapon to help us _kill_ Klaus!" Stefan growls exasperatedly.

"Yeah, _well_, not anymore," Evie inhales shakily, "At least that's what _Klaus_ believes..."

"That _coffin_ was the only thing stopping Klaus from tearing us to shreds," Stefan muses aloud, pacing back and forth slowly whilst he ponders everything that has happened. He cannot help but wonder if Klaus is going to kill them now he has Esther back...

"Anyone else feeling a little _used_ right now?" Damon asks, drawing out the sentence as he glares in to space, obviously agitated from the witches toying with them.

"Look, Klaus promised me that he wouldn't hurt any of you if you don't _try_ to hurt him, and I'm _pretty _sure that Esther won't tolerate them killing mercilessly now that she is back... Just_ stop_ with the killing Klaus stuff, okay?" She sucks in a breath, and knows that she is telling the truth when she says: "I actually believe him. I don't think he will hurt you-" _Ding dong._

The sound of the doorbell echoes through the halls from the foyer, and all three vampires turn to look at the door in curiosity. Evelyn looks back at the dumb expressions on the two vampires' faces before sighing loudly and making her way to the door, pulling it open to greet the visitor... But there is no one there. She peers around at either side of the porch, looking for the source of the ringing, but finds nothing. Figuring that the person must have left, she looks down to see if they have left anything behind. Two letters sit on the doorstep – one labelled _Elena Gilbert_ and the other labelled _Evelyn Gilbert_. The vampire says nothing as she kneels down to pick the two envelopes off of the floor, and then brings them back inside. Damon and Stefan watch with interest as Evie goes to stand at the foot of the stairs.

"Elena!" She calls, "We have mail!"

"We do?" Her sister asks, coming out from her bedroom and meeting Evelyn's eyes with curiosity, "Who from?"

"I don't know, I thought I'd wait for you so we could open them together," She replies dryly, earning a quiet chuckle from Stefan who is now stood with his arm draped on the banister. Damon stands beside him, watching Elena as she reaches the bottom of the stairs and takes her envelope from Evie with a roll of her eyes. The two girls proceed to tear the contents free from their confinements, both eyeing the small cards that they have received with interest.

"It's an invitation, written in pretty cursive writing – how _cute_," Evie's voice is laced with a mocking humour, but her eyes fill with mistrust as she reads over the front of the card. Elena reads it out so that Damon and Stefan can hear:

"_Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven o'clock for dancing, cocktails and celebration_."

"Who the hell are the Mikaelsons?" Stefan questions.

"The Original's," Evie mumbles as if she is stating the obvious. She flips the card over to see if anything else came with it and smiles as she notices the familiar italic handwriting that belongs to Klaus. He has scrawled '_Come to the house, I have a surprise for you. And no, it is not what you are thinking – love, Klaus' _on the back,and Evie instantly giggles, forgetting that the others are around. Elena peers over Evie's shoulder to see what has her acting all loved up, and rolls her eyes.

"Evelyn, seriously?" Elena asks, receiving a playful elbow to her forearm as a response from her vampire sister.

"Oh hush up and read the back of yours – if Klaus invited me then _someone_ must have invited _you_!" Elena nods and flips the card over, frowning as she realizes that there _is_ a note on hers, too.

"_Elena_," the doppelganger reads, "_I think it is time that we finally meet_," She glances in to each of their eyes warily before reading the name of the Original who invited _her_ to the ball:

"_Esther..._"

...

"Klaus?" Evie calls, pushing the door to the Original's home open and stepping inside. She instantly spots about three or four humans hanging up fairy lights on the banister of the extravagant double, rounded staircases. She sighs upon realizing that he is not actually here right now – the doppelganger decides to follow the source of the music, letting curiosity get the best of her as she soon comes across what seems to be a socialising room – four leather couches are all placed around an oak table and sat upon a rug, a beautiful diamond-encrusted chandelier hangs in the centre of the ceiling, the fireplace is lit and various pieces of artwork are placed neatly on the walls. There are more humans in here, too, only these ones are working on vampires. Rebekah is sat admiring her newly-painted nails on the couch, Finn and Kol are getting their suits fitted and Elijah is admiring a pair of shoes. All of them glance over at her as she walks in, and she blushes under their gazes. "Uh, sorry guys, Klaus told me to meet him here..."

"I'm not sure where he is," Rebekah sighs before jumping up from the couch and heading straight over to Evie, her icy blue eyes become steely as she glares down at her, "But I am more interested in finding out if you knew that your wench of a sister was going to dagger me."

"Bekah, I had _no idea_," Evie replies, knowing full well that the vampire is borderline-psychic. Once the blonde sees that Evelyn is not lying, she smiles and throws her arms around her.

"Then welcome!"

"Thanks," She replies, hugging her friend back for a moment. Once they have separated completely, Evie meets Finn's eyes, "So, I know we've seen each other before, but we haven't been properly introduced."

"You are correct," Finn replies with a smile, "I am Finn Mikaelson, as you already know... And you are Evelyn Gilbert, the doppelganger of Katerina Petrova and the twin sister of Elena Gilbert."

"Yes," Evie smirks whilst Finn shakes her hand, "You've caught up fast."

"I have tried my best, but I _have_ been stuck in a coffin for nine-hundred years – I still have much to learn," He grimaces at that, and then steps away from the doppelganger as the woman who is fitting his suit returns with some more pins. Evelyn finally turns her eyes to Kol, whose reflection is smirking at her through the mirror. Evie feels her cheeks heat up as he turns away from the object, looking directly at her with flirtatious oak-brown eyes. He saunters over to her and stops a few inches away, reaching down to take her hand and then bring it to his lips... Evie cannot help but stare back at him, in shock with his boldness.

"I am Kol Mikaelson; it is nice to _finally_ meet you, gorgeous Evelyn."

"Stop flirting with me," She snaps, narrowing her eyes offensively at the Original. "I know your game."

"And what game would that be?" He asks, raising his eyebrows at the brazen girl. Rebekah's sigh breaks their gazing – she lightly pushes Kol a few steps back from Evelyn and then links her arm with the doppelganger's.

"We _all_ know your game, Kol. Stop trying to piss Nik off and-"

"You went after Elena!" Klaus suddenly enters, snapping the words directly at Rebekah as he storms in. Evie snatches her arm back at that, looking at Rebekah in anger.

"_Seriously_?" Evie snaps fiercely, "For _god_ sake, Bekah, she's my _sister_! What is _wrong_ with you?"

"Oh, here we go," She rolls her eyes and falls back down on to the couch with grace.

"Do you _want_ another dagger in your heart?" Klaus hisses, growing impatient with his sister's attitude.

"Again with the dagger threats - haven't you got any other tricks?" Kol asks, pushing Klaus' buttons even further; Finn and Elijah just watch on, slightly amused by their younger siblings bickering.

"Oh go back to staring at yourself!" Evie snaps at Kol, glaring at him in annoyance whilst defending her boyfriend. Klaus smirks down at Evie, who gets on her tip-toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek. Kol just scoffs.

"And who are you, my _mother_?" He grins, enjoying just how much he seems to be riling everybody up.

"_Stop it, Kol_! You are in _my_ house, now-"

"Then perhaps we should go outside?" Kol asks in response, being completely serious as he glares in to his brother's eyes. Evie sees the _obvious_ tension building between them – she stands in front of Klaus, pushing Kol aside as she takes Klaus' face in her hands and forces him to look at her. When he does, she pouts playfully.

"Stop fighting, it's taking up precious surprise time!"

"Ah, yes," Klaus finally smiles now, even going as far as to ignore yet another one of Kol's scoffs. "Come with me, love," he holds his hand out and Evelyn gladly takes it – they ignore the stares of the other Originals as the hybrid leads his doppelganger in to a conservatory, where an obviously compelled human is currently holding a dress in her hands.

The dress that the woman is holding is a deep burgundy/red taffeta gown. It is a fishtail shaped gown with a bead enriched, ruched bodice that has a trail of diamante beads underneath the bust; this trial continues down either side of the corsets back. Smaller diamante beads are dotted across the dress; these continue downwards until they stop just where the bottom of the gown begins to flow out... Evelyn walks over to the gown as if it is calling to her. She reaches out and strokes her fingers across the trail of diamantes underneath the bust whilst admiring her gift.

"Klaus," She almost chokes on her words, "This... It's... It's..."

"I wasn't sure if you would like it," He explains with a slight bit of nervousness, "I had Bekah pick it out and I thought that it looked lovely, but if you do not like it then I will completely understand-"

"_Klaus_," Evie giggles, turning to him with sparkling chocolate eyes, "It's _beautiful_ - THANK YOU!" She throws herself in to his arms, causing him to chuckle as she wraps her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He quickly compels the human to leave the room over Evie's shoulder, and once she has gone Evelyn pulls back, resting her hands on Klaus' shoulders as the humour fades from the moment... A slow sort of electricity ignites between them; and neither one can bear to look away from the other. Evelyn darts out her tongue to wet her lips and tightens Klaus' leather jacket in to fists against his shoulders; the look he is giving her has set her insides on fire. Shockingly enough, Evelyn is – yet again – the one who makes the first move; she captures his _perfect_ red lips with her own, sighing in content as he quickly deepens the kiss. As their tongues meet, their breaths become erratic and laboured, and that electricity that both of them had felt earlier intensifies with each and every touch. Klaus falls back on to one of the white leather couches in the room – a shiver rushes down his spine as Evelyn growls lustfully against his lips. She attacks his neck with ravenous kisses, and _of course_ he does not disapprove in the _slightest_ – on the contrary, he throws his head back and closes his eyes, gasping in pleasure as she nibbles on his neck with her human teeth-

"Ah-hem."

Both Evelyn and Klaus had become too lost in their lust to realize that someone else had entered the room. The pair jump in shock, turning to the doorway where Esther is standing with her arms folded, raising her eyebrows at the pair in disapproval. Evelyn rushes to get to her feet, blushing the deepest shade of red imaginable as she chews her lower lip awkwardly.

"Mrs Mikaelson... Err, we're sorry about that," She tries to redeem herself, but Esther just turns to her son, who – shockingly enough – is _also_ blushing... Well, it _is_ his mother, after all.

"Niklaus, may I speak with you?"

"Of course, Mother," He nods, standing from the couch; Esther turns and walks out of the room – she misses the lust-filled looks that the pair gives one another. No words need to be spoken at all, and Evelyn feels butterflies fill her stomach in excitement as she watches him leave the room.

_This isn't over_.

...

In an attempt to escape both the sexual _and_ awkward tension that Evie's presence had stirred, the doppelganger had hastily exited the Originals home with a quick mutter of _"I'll see you tonight," _and even now she cannot stop thinking about how awkward that moment had been, yet how amazing she had felt before that. Being a vampire, your emotions are heightened... She had not truly experienced raw lust, up until that point. It felt like she was being electrocuted, but the shocks gave her pleasure rather than pain... Like fireworks... It was _beyond_ epic.

And they haven't even done anything _like that_, yet.

_Yet_.

"So, what did Klaus want?" Elena asks, breaking Evie out of her daydreams. The vampire is still slightly dazed, but she catches on to what Elena has asked her and responds.

"He wanted to give me a present – a dress, for the ball tonight," Evelyn's face lights up in excitement, "It's _gorgeous_ – I'm so excited to wear it!"

"Ugh," Caroline cringes, "Honestly, I don't get how you can _date Klaus_... He is just so... So..."

"Creepy? Egotistical? Sociopathic? _Sexy_?" Evie offers, giggling at the shrug and nod of agreement that Caroline gives to the last one. Elena's mouth drops open in shock at their casual joking about Klaus' appearance.

"Guys, this is _Klaus_ that you are talking about – Evie, fair enough, but _Caroline_!"

"Oh, _come on_, Elena – he _is_ good looking."

"Aren't you the one who just said that you don't _get_ how Evie can date him?"

"Yeah, I don't," Caroline argues her case, "He is an evil, manipulative bastard who has stolen my boyfriend from me so that he can use him as some freaky minion... But that doesn't make him _physically _ugly."

"He's mine," Evie warns jokingly whilst she brings a mouthful of the steak she had ordered to her lips, chewing on the food appreciatively. It may do nothing to sate her _real_ hunger, but it tastes _damn good_.

"Don't you think it's weird that the Originals are throwing a ball?" Elena asks, changing the topic of conversation to ease her discomfort, "Like... An actual ball?"

"It's some twisted Cinderella fetish, that's what it is," Caroline scoffs, "And _why_ does the evil witch want an audience with _you_?"

"I have _no_ idea... But why not with _you_?" Elena turns her questioning gaze on to Evelyn, who shrugs in response.

"I don't know, I saw her earlier..." She blushes at the memory, "I, uh, don't think she likes me."

"Ohh," Caroline winks, "Looks like someone was caught in the act!"

"No, we weren't... We were just caught making out... By his Mom."

"Oh," The blonde vampire cringes, "Awkward!"

"_Anyway_," Elena snaps, annoyed that the conversation is going on to something even _worse_ than before, "I don't know... But there's only one way to find out."

"I thought you weren't coming," Evie says, raising her eyebrows at her sister, "That's what you said to the Salvatore bro's."

"I did say that, but I only said that to try and stay free of any body guards."

"Well, I wouldn't want to. _I_ think a Salvatore will look pretty awesome in a tux... And by _that _I mean Stefan," Caroline says pointedly at Elena.

"Ugh, I can't deal with _either_ of the Salvatores right now. Whatever Stefan's feeling, he is channelling it all against Klaus, and Damon is..." She exhales a heavy sigh and meets Caroline's eyes, "Just _not_ a good idea."

"Why? Because you two made out?"

"_Car_," Evie hisses under her breath, earning Elena's attention before it returns to Caroline once more.

"Evie spilled the beans," The blond explains. Elena is not mad at Evelyn for telling Caroline about her kiss with Damon, but she does feel guilty... She hadn't forgotten about telling her, but she didn't want to burden her with any more problems.

"I was going to tell you... It's just after everything happened with your dad-"

"_Elena_, when you and Matt kissed for the first time in freshman year you called me the _second_ it happened... And now I only hear about this until now, and from _someone else_?"

"I'm sorry," She apologizes, "It's just I-I don't even know how I feel about it, yet... All I do know is that it just used to be so much easier..."

"Evelyn," Rebekah seems to appear from nowhere as she places her hands on the doppelgangers shoulders, "Come – it is time to get ready for the night... Oh, _you again_," The blonde Original's eyes narrow offensively on Elena – she speaks her next words whilst glaring at the human doppelganger, "Be careful, Caroline – it's all well and good until she _stabs you in the back_..."

"What're you doing here?" Elena asks, "I know your mother's orders – no murdering the locals."

"Get _over_ yourself, Elena – it's not _all about you_."

"Ok, _stop it_, the pair of you," Evie hisses, standing from her seat and glaring at Elena. "Look, Elena, Rebekah has _every right_ to be mad at you, but _you_," She turns to glare at Rebekah, "Cannot go around trying to kill her – she's my sister, Bekah, and you're my friend. You may not like each other but you don't have to be so bitchy about it. That goes for both of you."

"If you _weren't_ my friend I'd tear your heart out," Rebekah jokes despite Evelyn's words. The doppelganger just shrugs before pulling on her coat. Elena and Caroline watch on, completely shocked at the fact that Evelyn is actually going to leave with _her_. "Oh, one minute," The Original mutters before walking over to Matt.

"You're actually friends with her?" Caroline asks, appalled.

"I don't pick sides, _remember_," Evie replies, quickly finishing off the cola she ordered and turning around to head over to Rebekah – she freezes as she spots the Original handing Matt an envelope _exactly_ like the one she had received this morning.

"Oh my _god_, she's inviting him to the _ball_?" Caroline gasps, and then turns to Evelyn as if she will know the answer, "_Why_ is she inviting him?"

"Probably to get this reaction from us," Elena murmurs before Evie can answer. Her words are spoken calmly, although she is actually feeling pretty worried about this. Caroline sighs, knowing that she has no choice – Klaus had left her an invitation this morning, the back of the invitation had included a note that said '_I want to see my handiwork, Klaus_.' – Caroline had been disgusted about it being his blood that healed her, but she had received a beautiful dress from a distant Aunt for her birthday... One that she is just _dying_ to wear.

"Ok, what time is this _stupid_ dance?"

...

Evelyn allows Rebekah to do her hair for the ball, tonight. The Original tells Evie that she is definitely using those curls to her advantage – she takes the front strands of the doppelgangers hair and pins them up at the back of her head with diamond pins, so that her hair is half-up half-down; the lose curls cascade down her back beautifully. Once she has completed her hair she applies some dark eye shadow to her lids, giving them a smokey-eye effect that enhances the chocolate colour of her iris'. Finally, Rebekah finishes the make-over off with some red lip gloss. Without letting her look in the mirror, she orders Evie to go and put on her dress and then makes her wait until Rebekah has finished getting ready; once both girls are completely finished, the Original pulls Evelyn to stand beside her in front of one of the large mirrors in the house – the doppelganger smiles brightly as soon as she catches sight of her appearance.

"Bekah... _Wow_," Evie beams, looking over her own reflection, and then turning to admire Rebekah's look. She is wearing a plain green fishtail dress that has one strap that hangs off her left shoulder. The satin ball gown catches the light whenever she moves, making it out to be a shade lighter than it actually is. Her blonde, straight hair is pulled back to show off her beautiful face, diamante necklace and earrings. Both of the girls look absolutely beautiful.

"Now let us go down there and enjoy ourselves," Rebekah smiles, "This should be a night to remember!"

The girls head for the stairs and Evie smiles at the amount of people who have actually attended the housewarming ball. Rebekah excuses herself as she leaves Evie to go and find Matt, so the doppelganger is left alone. She sighs, watching Rebekah head downstairs with a happy smile. She never expected the vampire to be happy, but she certainly is, now that her mother and siblings are alive, and now that she no longer has to run.

"Good evening."

Evelyn turns away from the party and instantly meets the familiar oak-brown eyes of Elijah. The Original is well-dressed in an obviously designer tux – his suit, waistcoat, shoes and bow tie are all black, and his shirt is a crisp, clean white. His hair has been gelled back, making him look like an aristocrat. Evelyn smirks at the vampire, whose eyes hold recognition and wonder as he gazes down at her.

"Well, don't you look fancy," Evie muses.

"And don't you look... Lovely," He breathes.

"Oh, stop flirting with me, already. I don't understand you _or_ Kol – I swear, Finn is the only one of you lot with any respect for my title."

"And what would that title _be_?" Elijah chuckles.

"Klaus' girlfriend, _remember_?" She asks, raising her eyebrows as he smirks.

"Yes, I believe I heard enough proof of _that_ this morning," He replies, laughing as a blush colours her cheeks.

"Oh shut up and escort me down the stairs, before I stab you with a heel."

"As you wish," Elijah chuckles, holding out his arm to let her tuck hers through his. She thanks him before stepping down on to one of the marble steps, her burgundy/red heels click against each one as they descend down in to the party. Once they reach the bottom, Elijah heads off to go and greet some old friends... And once again, Evelyn is left alone. She lets out a sigh before heading in to the ballroom, looking around for any signs of Klaus' presence. She can hear his smooth, English accent from across the room, so she scans the crowd until she finally spots him – he is socialising with the humans, igniting a giggle from a brunette in a black dress. And as if he knows her presence is near, he turns his head to the right and scans her appearance before meeting her eyes... She looks so beautiful that she takes his breath away.

Klaus looks breathtaking, himself, in Evelyn's eyes. His dirty blonde curls are kept in their usual style, but he is wearing a very expensive-looking black suit and shoes with a pearl-white shirt, a matching white waistcoat and white bow tie. He makes his way over to her, and she walks over to him, smiling and blushing as she remembers just what had happened earlier. Desire overtakes her, but she knows that she cannot act on that right now – there is a crowd full of people that probably do not want to witness _that_. Klaus smirks temptingly – it is as if he knows what she is thinking.

"Good evening," He murmurs, reaching down to play with the Original family ring hanging from her neck – after a short moment he lets it go and reaches up to cup her cheek, "You look _absolutely ravishing_..."

"As do you," She breathes, knowing that if she was still human, her heart would be racing. She chews her painted lower lip nervously as she fights off her desire for him, after a minute of withstanding the electricity that his touch is igniting on her cheek, she pulls away, "I need a drink," she mutters before hastily making an exit, leaving Klaus to watch her disappear in to the crowd with a faint smile playing on his lips. It does not take Evie long to find the Champaign; she smiles successfully as she reaches out for one of the glasses, but a different hand takes it before she can.

"Hello there, beautiful," Kol winks, handing her the glass as he takes one for himself. He admires Evelyn's body with greedy eyes, which sends a strange shiver down her spine.

"Seriously?" Evie scoffs, "Am I going to have to deal with you and Elijah flirting with me just to get back at Klaus _all night_?"

"On the contrary, I am not charming you to wound my pathetic brother," The Original raises his glass as a sort-of toast, and Evie clinks hers with his before taking a sip.

"Alright, then why _are_ you flirting with me?" She asks, staring in to his sparkling, playful oak-brown eyes.

"Because I flirt with everyone, darling... Especially those rare beauties who manage to take my breath away... Beauties such as yourself."

Evie's stomach flutters, and she gulps at that response.

"I have to find Klaus," She snaps, hastily rushing away from Klaus' way-too-charming brother. Elijah's flirting is pretty much harmless, to Evelyn, but _that_ man's flirting makes her react _oddly_.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please?" Elijah's voice echoes through the house, gaining everybody's attention. Evie decides to head in to the other room, looking up at the staircase that Kol, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Finn are all stood on. _Kol got there quick,_ she thinks to herself. The doppelganger shares a friendly smile with Rebekah, and then looks up in to Klaus' eyes, bushing instantly under his intense gaze. He smirks, and she smirks back, neither really listens to Elijah's speech as they gaze at one another, completely mesmerised by the others beauty.

"Welcome, and thank you for joining us." Elijah glances up as their mother descends the staircase – she shares a smile with Kol before turning to the party, "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it is tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance... Tonight's pick is a centuries old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner and _please_ join us in the ballroom." Evelyn does not notice the looks she receives from Kol as Klaus quickly descends the staircase, not caring if he looks desperate as he comes to stand in front of the woman he loves. She laughs at him as he takes her hand, and quickly pulls it away.

"Excuse me, sir, but I do believe that you have not asked me," She scolds playfully.

Klaus smirks, "Oh, how very rude of me – would you, my enchanting lady, care to dance with me?"

Her smile makes his heart ache, "I cannot think of anyone else I would rather dance with – _yes_."

The song 'Give Me Love' by Ed Sheeran begins to float from the speakers in the ballroom as the couples get in to their starting positions, holding their arms out to the right of themselves, the males hold the females hands gently as they begin by taking four steps forward, and then one step to the right, facing whichever couple are dancing in front of them. They take another three steps forward, walking between the space of two other couples before turning to the back of the room, after this they take another step, and then the males twirl their female partners around and pull them in. Klaus meets Evelyn's mesmerised gaze as he rests one hand at her waist and takes one of her hands in his. She places her free hand on his shoulder, allowing him to lead their twirling steps around the room.

"Gosh," Klaus sighs, his breath shaking ever-so-slightly. Evie frowns, her gaze fills with worry.

"Are you ok?" She asks in concern, but Klaus just smiles.

"I just love you so much," He whispers, smouldering her with his intense gaze. She blushes again, letting the light-headed feeling that love creates fill her completely. As they dance around the room, she feels as though they are floating. No one else is there, no one else matters, what they are does not matter – all that matters is the man encircling her in his arms, making her feel safe and happy and _loved_.

"I love you too," She breathes, knowing that she will not be able to speak properly at this moment in time. Instead, she hums along to the beautiful song playing, being unable to break her eyes away from his as they dance together.

"_Give a little time to me, we'll burn this out, we'll play hide and seek, to turn this around, all I want is the taste that your lips allow,__  
><em>_my my, my my-y give me love, my my, my my-y give me love, my my, my my-y give me love.__"_

At the end of the first chorus, Klaus twirls her under his arm and unwilling releases her, allowing her to fall straight in to the arms of whatever male partner is now also free. A hand settles on her waist and another gently holds her hand in hers. Evelyn looks up, gasping as her chocolate eyes meet the familiar oak-brown eyes of Kol's – she goes to escape his grasp, but he wraps his arm around her waist, pressing her against himself to restrain her.

"One little dance never hurt a girl," He murmurs softly, causing Evie to relax before she tenses up even more.

"No," She snaps, "Let me go."

"Oh, stop being so childish," He scoffs before taking her free hand and placing it on his shoulder – knowing that she could never outrun an Original, Evelyn sighs and unwillingly allows Kol to lead her around the dance floor. She glances at the ground, pretending to watch her steps whilst they move. Kol watches _her_, amused at her attempt to fight his charm. "You fascinate me," He murmurs.

"Why?" She asks, finally lifting her doe-like eyes to his. He smiles softly, tightening his hold on her as she now automatically follows his lead.

"How couldn't you? You are beautiful, in a way that differs to Tatia, Katerina or Elena... You are strong-willed and feisty... You amuse me," He smirks, although his eyes are somewhat soft and serious, "And I fancy you – is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes, because I _don't_ 'fancy' _you_!" She snaps, "I have been in love with Klaus for _months now, _and that is _not_ about to change just because _you_ have come along."

"Is that a hint, or are you just lying to yourself?" He asks; the Originals eyes sparkle with amusement as he gazes down at her.

"Kol just _shut up_ – no, that was _not_ a lie because I don't even _like_ you, never mind _fancy_ you!"

He smirks, laughing once before ending the conversation. Her eyes fall back to her feet, and his remain on her face... Evelyn cannot wait to be back with Klaus, because right now she feels _far_ too uncomfortable. Why is this happening? Kol has only known her for a day, and suddenly he _likes_ her? This is _insane, _and far too much to deal with! He is the evil sibling; the one who enjoys killing even more than _Klaus _does!

Why does she attract the bad boys?

"_Give me love like never before, 'cause lately I've been craving more, and it's been a while but I still feel the same; maybe I should let you go,__  
><em>_you know I'll fight my corner, and that tonight I'll call ya, after my blood, is drowning in alcohol. No, I just wanna hold ya."_

...

"Your Mother has done a really good job with the ball," Evie compliments as she walks with Klaus, admiring the horses stood in the driveway and the fairy lights wrapped around the large bushes.

"She has," He replies, his voice takes on an odd edge as he intertwines their fingers. Evie glances over at him, seeing that he is glaring in to space, as if he is angry at something.

"What's up?" She asks

"It's my mother," He sighs, stopping by the horses and reaching up to stroke one of their manes, "She doesn't approve of our relationship."

"Because I look like _her_," Evie finishes the sentence with words that Klaus had failed to add and looks off in to the distance, sadness wells up within her chest. Klaus is quick to pull her in to his arms - she rests her cheek on his collar bone, and he plays with her hair with one hand and wraps the other around her shoulders. She hugs him around the waist, breathing in his scent as she fights off her tears.

"I love _you_, but my mother has her doubts," He murmurs, "And she also believes that, as her doppelganger, you are doomed to fall for more than one of us."

"Basically, she thinks that I'm a slut?" She chuckles sarcastically, tightening her hold on him.

"Well, she wouldn't say it like _that_..."

Evelyn pulls back and holds his face in her hands, meeting his deep blue eyes with her own. She refuses to think about Kol and his charming nature as she speaks; "Klaus, I _love you_ – yes, Tatia played you and Elijah against one another, Katherine played Stefan and Damon against one another and Elena is falling in to that trap too but _I," _She stands on her tip-toes and places a chaste kiss to his lips, "_love_," and again, "_you_."

"As I love you," He smiles affectionately, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, "And it seems that my little brother has his eyes on you, too."

Evie sighs exasperatedly, "You heard that, then? Good – will you tell him to leave me alone, I'm _so_ not interested," She smirks suggestively, "I have everything I need standing right in front of me."

"Of course I will," He presses a kiss to her forehead and then holds his arm out for her to link hers through, "Now, shall we step back inside? I have another dance left in me."

The pair head back inside, now. It seems that, for the first time that night, she is noticing the odd looks she is receiving for being with Klaus. Yes, he appears to be a few years older than her, but do they _really_ have to glare at him as if he is some sort of pedophile? _If they only knew that he is actually one thousand years old, and not in his early __twenties_, she muses to herself.

"So how was my mother?" Elijah asks Elena, who is stood staring off in to space. She jumps slightly at the Original's sudden appearance, and then grimaces as guilt washes through her. Esther wanted her blood so she could perform a spell to bind Elijah, Finn, Rebekah, Kol and Klaus as one... If one dies, then they all will. She cannot tell Elijah that! The doppelganger looks down at the ground, refusing to let herself think about Evelyn as she replies.

"Intense," She mumbles.

"And for what reason did she need to speak with you?" Elijah asks smoothly, taking two glasses of the rose champaign from a waiter - he hands one to Elena, taking note of the fact that she refuses to look at him... In fact she is staring off in to space and not focusing on his words at all. He glances over at his mother, and then down to Elena. "_Elena_," He speaks sharply, regaining her attention; she finally meets his eyes, "Should I be concerned about my mother's intentions?"

Elena sighs shakily, "She just wanted to apologize for trying to have me killed."

"So, it's true, then? She's forgiven Klaus?" Elijah asks, raising his eyebrows at her.

"It's true," Elena replies, forcing a smile on her face as she quashes the guilt building deep inside her. Elijah found a way to save her life, once, and now she's just going to let him _die_...

_Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink_.

Everyone turns to the staircase, where Esther is stood with a glass of champaign. Klaus pinches two glasses of the alcohol from a silver tray that is being passed around and hands one to Evelyn, who murmurs her thanks before turning to look up at the Original witch. She looks down at the party with a joyful expression, meeting the eyes of her children.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen - waiters are coming round with champaign; I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy, than to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this _spectacular_ evening - cheers."

"_Cheers_!"

Klaus turns to Evelyn and clinks his glass with hers. She smiles slightly as he raises his glass to his lips and takes a sip, and then she proceeds to do so, herself.

_She swears that she can taste the smallest hint of iron._

...

"There you are," Kol murmurs as he approaches Rebekah, "I was waiting outside for you... Where's Matt?" He smirks devilishly, and Rebekah looks down awkwardly.

"About that – I, uh... I changed my mind. I don't want to ruin mother's night."

"Don't tell me you _like_ this boy," He scoffs, "What did he do, give you _five seconds_ of his attention?" Kol sighs as he gazes off out of the window, thinking back to dancing with Evelyn. Realizing how pathetic they are both being, he turns back to his with an irritated expression, "Don't be so _predictable_, Rebekah!"

"You're one to talk," She snaps, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, "All of us _heard_ what you said to Evelyn, earlier."

"Oh, _her_?" He laughs darkly, "How foolish do you think that I am? I want to ruin Niklaus, Bekah – I do not feel for her. I do not feel for _anyone, _I just want to hurt him the way he's hurt all of _us_."

"Whatever you say, brother," She rolls her eyes, "Just leave Matt be, alright? And that goes for Evelyn, as well. She is Niklaus' girlfriend and _my_ friend, do _not_ bring her in to a mess that she plays _no_ part in!" Rebekah turns away and storms off, far too angry with her brother and his hypocrisy to carry a real conversation with him, anymore. He watches her leave, glaring at the back of her as she disappears through the door and back in to the party... He cannot _believe_ that she insinuated that he truly cares for Klaus' little doppelganger.

"Humanity is sending them insane," He mumbles to himself... Despite his words, he cannot help but picture that beautiful smile of hers; the Original ventures out of the room and on to the indoor balcony, spotting Niklaus and Evelyn instantly. There she is in her tight-fitted dress, with that beautiful smile and a loving sparkle in her eyes... In the arms of his brother; Kol grimaces at the sight. _How pathetic is she to believe his lies?_ He wonders, feeling his anger swelling as they share a quick kiss.

His need to ruin this night intensifies, at that. Klaus does _not_ get to be happy, not while Kol is around. He spots Matt wondering the halls, and smiles devilishly as an idea hits him...

...

"_DAMON!"_ Stefan's shouting gathers the attention of all of the vampires in the house. Klaus and Evelyn had heard him talking to Kol, and had quickly begun making their way to the back yard, hand-in-hand. They soon make it to the doorway, where Elijah, Finn, Stefan, Rebekah and Elena are already stood. "What are you, crazy?" He gasps, looking down to see that his brother has snapped Kol's neck.

"Maybe a little," He replies, looking up at Elena's horrified expression. He becomes angry, at that, and glares at her as he says, "Far be it for me to cause a _problem_." Elena shakes her head, guilt fills her eyes at how much she has hurt him by speaking words she did not mean. Damon takes off, after that, leaving the Originals, Stefan, Elena and Evelyn to deal with the temporarily dead Kol. Evelyn lets go of Klaus' hand and storms over to Elena.

"Ok, what did you two fall out over this time?" She growls.

"I said something I didn't mean," She replies, keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.

"He just temporarily killed an _Original_!" She fumes, "What is _wrong_ with him?"

"Calm down, love," Klaus murmurs, walking over to her but keeping his eyes on his brother, "I am not promising that Kol will not go after him, but Damon has caused whatever my brother does to him."

"_So_ not helpful," Evie snaps, but Klaus just smiles weakly.

"I do not want to deal with this, right now. In fact, I find it to be a relief that he will be out until at least tomorrow morning – let's just leave him, for now. Mother will be unhappy if we do not say goodbye to our other guests."

At that, the Originals all head off to the door and say farewell to the guests. Evelyn, Elena and Stefan decide to talk about this, for a while, and end up leading on to various other discussions. Klaus pops his head around the doorway after fifteen minutes or so to tell Evie he is heading out, but even his leaving does not move them off of the property. They remain lost in their conversation, and before they know it, it has been an hour, and all of the other guests have already left. They head out of the house, deciding that it is time to go home, themselves.

"You look really pretty, tonight," Elena murmurs as they head down the pathway to Elena's car.

"So do you," Elena replies, "You weren't kidding about that dress – it's incredible."

"Thanks. Rebekah picked it out," She smiles, stopping as they reach the car. She watches as they climb in. Her mind flashes back to earlier in the conservatory, and her stomach fills with butterflies as she realizes that Kol is temporarily dead, right now. He cannot hear, see, or _stop_ anything... And none of the others will try to. She had understood the look Klaus gave her, and smirks as she realizes:

_There will be no interruptions._

"I'm not going home yet, guys. I want to wait until Klaus gets back."

...

Klaus sighs tiredly as he walks through the front door of the house, licking his lips free of the blood he just consumed from a tasty woman at the grill. He smiles at the tranquillity in the house – it seems that everyone else must have headed off to bed, already. He locks the door and then makes his way up the steps at human speed, appreciating the beauty of his own home as he does so. He reaches the door to his bedroom, and frowns as he hears water running... The sound is coming from his en suit bathroom. Curiously, he opens the door and tosses his blazer on to the ground. The door is already open, so he walks straight in, not worrying about the habitant's modesty – they _clearly_ don't.

He freezes.

"Hey," Evie murmurs a little shyly from where she is stood in the shower. Her curled hair is disarrayed, droplets of water fall from her locks and down her olive-toned body... And Klaus' whole body burns with desire, in response to the sight before him. She looks over her shoulder to see Klaus stood in the doorway, staring at her as if he is a blind man seeing for the first time. She blushes, but tries to be seductive as she speaks. "Care to join me?"

"You're beautiful," He whispers, mesmerised by her grace. The hybrid wastes no time in stripping down and soon enough he is under the warm water with her, admiring her in all of her glory. "So, so beautiful..."

"You're not so bad yourself," She whispers, watching as the water turns his hair brown and soaks his pale skin. She reaches her arms up to wrap them around his neck and pull him down in to a soft kiss. She releases him after that, shutting off the shower and turning back to him. "I'm bored of this... Why don't we finish what we started off earlier? You know, the thing that was interrupted _far too early_ for my-"

Klaus has Evelyn in the bedroom and on the bed before she has time to finish her sentence.

...

_Unf, guys I am in love with Kol. He is so freaking hot & reminds me of Klaus when he first entered TVD. Anyway, reviews are muchly appreciated ;)_

_Links to Evie's ballgown and hairstyle are on my profile_

_p.s. stop reviewing me saying that you dislike Kol/Evie, and if you're planning on saying that then let this message reassure you -** Evie is nothing like the other doppelgangers, she will not fall in love with anyone else, but she will be attracted to other people because it's only natural to be attracted to attractive people (e.g. Kol) - if she ever does fall in love with someone else it'll be IF Klaus dies. She will not be stuck in a love triangle.**  
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	20. Bonus: When I Wake Up

VALENTINES DAY FLUFF! Well, hot fluff to be more precise. As you all know (or may not know) Klaus and Evelyn shared their first time together in the last chapter, so as a V-Day special I have wrote their morning-after conversation.

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M, I DON'T WRITE M FICS BUT THIS CHAPTER DOES MENTION SEX & NUDITY, it's only rated M just in case. **

...

It is strange how warm Klaus feels, now that Evelyn is a vampire. His body used to be like ice, but now his skin feels hot underneath hers. She sighs peacefully, listening on to the birdsong from outside and Klaus' steady, slow breathing. She has been awake for the past half an hour now, but has not had it in her heart to wake him up. She opens one chocolate coloured eye and peaks up at him through her long lashes; her arm is wrapped around his bare waist and her cheek is pressed against his strong chest, but she manages to manoeuvre herself without waking him. The hybrid's head is tilted to the side, and his dirty blonde hair is disarrayed. The quilts are tangled between them, and Evelyn notices that they are only just covering his crotch – the doppelganger had stole most of the thin material through the night, and Klaus had eventually given up on trying to take some back for himself.

_I could get used to this_, Evelyn thinks as a lovely smile graces her lips. The hybrid – _her hybrid _– looks so angelic, right now. The way the sunlight shines down on his pale skin, the way his naked limbs are still tangled with her own, the way he is smiling ever-so-slightly as he dreams... You would _never_ think that this man was a murderous monster. She stares at him for a moment, taking in every inch of his beauty... And then decides that she is bored. The doppelganger untangles their legs and straddles him, proceeding to trail delicate kisses up his chest and to his neck. Klaus groans tiredly, and Evie pulls away to watch his sky blue eyes flutter open – they are glazed over from sleep, but still the prettiest eyes she has ever seen.

"Good morning," She whispers, leaning down to place a kiss on his lips. Klaus chuckles huskily underneath her and brings one of his hands to her cheek, cupping it softly as he massages her lips with his own. After a moment, Evelyn pulls away and rests her forehead against his.

"The best morning of my existence," He murmurs, laughing lightly just because of how happy he is, "It was the best night of my existence, too."

Evelyn thinks back to what happened after he had rushed them back in to the bedroom; a blush colours her cheeks at the memory. His touch had ignited fireworks; his kisses had her desires at their peak, the way he called her name had done things to her that she didn't think _possible_... Everything had been instinctual, yet they still managed to remind one another of how in love they were. At times it was raw passion, but at other times it was slow, gentle... _Perfect_.

"I can honestly say it was the best _moment_ of my existence," She smiles, her chocolate eyes sparkle with happy tears as she kisses his forehead, "I'm going to have to drink vervain _every day_ just so I am never compelled to forget it."

Klaus laughs from underneath her, "I feel honoured."

"So you should," She replies, "Plus you were the first to have me – you lucky man."

"And surely I was good enough to be the _only_ one to _ever_ have you?" His eyes glitter with lust as he suddenly flips them, causing her to sink in to the plush mattress underneath him. Evelyn giggles as Klaus presses his body in to hers and intertwines their fingers above her head, and he smiles just because her laughter is the most beautiful sound in the world. "I have a thousand years experience underneath my belt," He leans down to place hot, open mouthed kisses on to her neck. Evelyn bites her lower lip as desire begins to build up within her, "Last night was just the beginning."

"And I'll be a great big letdown," She sighs, the sound shakes due to her lust. Klaus stops at that, freezing before lifting his lips from her throat and hovering above her, meeting her sad chocolate eyes.

"Why would you think that?" He asks softly.

"Because you're so experienced, and this... Well, last night was my first time. I'll never be good enough for you," She replies, pushing out her lower lip in to a pout. Klaus finds himself laughing at her concern.

"Evelyn, sweetheart, there is not _one person_ on this planet who I would rather be with. You could bring me a woman with _two thousand_ years of experience, and I would still choose you. No other woman does it for me – not since I met you."

She smirks, "Cheesy bastard."

Klaus chuckles and rolls his eyes, "I can never win with you, can I?"

"You can, just not with cheesiness... But with sex..." She shrugs, flipping them and giving him a seductive smirk. "So, oh mighty god of lovemaking," The doppelganger leans down to whisper the words in to his ear, "Will you teach me your magical ways?" When she feels the Original shiver underneath her, Evelyn smiles in delight.

"You little minx," He growls huskily, "Are you trying to make me take you again?"

"Well what else would I be doing?" She leans back to wink at him, "Besides, we don't have anything better to do..."

"You need to feed," He reminds her, "Plus Elena may be curious as to where you got off to... Although I am sure she may have an idea."

"But you're so much better than blood," She whimpers, "Can't I just have yours?"

"And _why_ would I _let_ you drink from me?" He asks, raising his eyebrows as he pushes himself in to a sitting position, "I'm not going to, so go get a blood bag."

"I was kidding anyway," She mumbles, climbing off the bed and heading over to his large walk-in wardrobe. "Oh dear, I have no clothes."

"You have a dress," He reminds her, watching her search through his wardrobe with hungry eyes. Evelyn Gilbert is perfection: his missing puzzle piece. Her body is a delight to watch, just as it is to touch... Flawless olive-toned skin, long, sexy legs, _perfect_ curves... He could stare at her naked form forever, so when she comes across a combat green t-shirt and pulls that on over her head, Klaus' lips form in to an unhappy pout.

"I can't wear that again, you'd only rip it off of me," She sighs, vanishing from the doorway to the wardrobe and re-appearing above him. "But you've lost the opportunity now..."

"What do you mean?" He asks, blue eyes widen in disgrace as he stares in to hers. She leans down and places a slow, heated kiss on his lips – as she trails her tongue across his lower lip, he darts his out to meet hers; that is when she pulls away. "Nah-ah-ah," She shakes her head and waves his finger at him, "I have to go feed _and_ call Elena, remember? I don't have time for sex – that's what you said."

"Screw that," He growls, tearing his shirt from her body and flipping them once more, "The world can wait a while – for now, you're _mine_."

Evelyn will never admit just how good his possessiveness makes her feel.


	21. All My Children

_**A/N update: just letting you all know that I have made a character building RP account on Twitter for Evie. Follow her at 'EternallyEvelyn'. There, you can ask me anything you want to know about the character, or anything you want to know about the story. Thanks!**_

_SO THE HORRIBLE 4 WEEK HIATUS RETURNS AGAIN! :( On the bright side, it gives me time to work on 'Expectations' and 'My Drug'. But have no fear, I have split this episode in to two once more so there will be another update some time next week! _

...

Elena wants to forget about Damon sleeping with Rebekah.

Right now, she has more important matters to focus on – like the fact that she has metaphorically thrown Elijah to the wolves after giving Esther her blood, last night. She has not felt this guilty in a while, and she knows that, if Elijah dies, she will _never_ forgive herself. He found a way to save her, once, and although they didn't use the witches elixir, he still _tried_ – and there is also Evelyn. She is probably the only one keeping Stefan and Damon alive now, and she is just going to let Esther kill Klaus? _Yes_, she wants Klaus dead, but Evelyn will _never_ forgive her for this... She stares at Damon with saddened eyes, realising that he does not seem to care that she looks so upset. Why is he is treating her so badly – yes; she upset him, but was all of this _really_ necessary? The doppelganger watches Damon take a drink from a glass of blood as she speaks her mind.

"You should know..." She gazes at the floor, replaying the prick of her finger and the droplets of blood disappearing in to the champagne glass last night, "That Esther is planning on killing her entire family. She's linked them all together with a spell – whatever happens to _one_ happens to _all of them_."

"That's _great_!" Damon raises his glass as if to toast this, "Klaus will finally be dead – we win!" He studies her whilst taking another sip, then gives her a bemused look. "Why do you look like someone just shot a panda bear?"

"Because to kill _Klaus_ she has to kill _all of them_!" Elena replies, a lump threatens to rise in her throat as weight of the guilt grows heavier ever _second_ on her conscience. "Including _Elijah_, and he doesn't _deserve this_!"

"I'm supposed to care about Elijah?" Damon scoffs.

"Shouldn't you at least care about _Rebekah_?" Elena asks through gritted teeth, glaring at him angrily.

"Two _seconds_ ago you were pissed that she tried to kill you – it's a win/win!" Damon's too-happy attitude has Elena feeling _angry_ as well as guilty, she shakes her head and then turns away, making a bee-line for the front door. With a rush of wind, she turns to be met by Damon's piercing blue eyes. She gasps, startled and disorientated by his movements.

"Don't do anything to screw this up, Elena," Damon warns her, seriously now.

"Why're you doing this?" She asks, the lump reaches her throat, now. He is being almost emotionless, and it hurts to watch him act like that...

"He's right you know," Stefan's voice backs up Damon as it floats in to the room. He leans against the doorway, watching the pair emotionlessly, "Klaus has to die – they all do."

"See," Damon grins whilst raising his glass, "Here's to the death of the Originals!"

Elena storms out, after that, deciding that she needs to find her friends and tell them about this.

...

"Aww," Evelyn coos as she tilts her head from where it is in Klaus' lap to at the picture he is drawing of her, "I feel complimented, being your muse and all."

"Stop flattering yourself, sweetheart," The hybrid chuckles, sighing as he frowns at the drawing and closes his sketch book, "I can't think of anything... I just want to draw something beautiful."

"We could take a page out of the titanic," Evelyn winks suggestively, making Klaus' eyes widen and a sly smirk cross his lips.

"You two are going to make me puke," Kol scoffs from where he is sat on the steps that rise on to a platform.

"Oh no," Evelyn pouts at the glaring vampire for a moment before moving at the speed of a vampire, straddling Klaus as she weaves her fingers in to his hair and presses a heated kiss to his lips. Both Evie and Klaus laugh as a pillow hits them both – Evie climbs off of him, picks the fluffy object up, and then turns to Kol with raised eyebrows.

"Is that..." She turns to the pillow and bursts in to laughter, "Is _that_ all you've got?"

"Pillows can be dangerous when I want them to be," Kol winks, and suddenly he is in front of her, swinging one of the other pillows in to her side. Evie ducks the movement swiftly, and then goes to hit Kol, but he easily moves aside. Klaus cannot help but chuckle as he watches his brother and girlfriend chase one another around the room, laughing as they try to hit the other with their cushioned weapon.

"It's nice to see that, after one thousand years of living, you're still as childish as you used to be," Klaus smirks at his brother, who dodges another swing from Evelyn's pillow and laughs.

"This is more entertaining than sitting around and doing nothing," He replies, swinging for the doppelganger once more – this time she seemed to be distracted by something from behind him, so he finally connects with her. She yelps and falls to the ground, causing Kol to burst in to a fit of laughter. Klaus rolls his eyes at the pair but says nothing as he picks his sketch book up once more – yes, he can see the developing crush that Kol has on his girlfriend, but he is going to let his brother learn the hard way.

_Evelyn is not like the other doppelgangers._

"Well, well, well – there's our girl!" Kol's laughter has turned in to chuckling by the time he notices that his sister, Rebekah, is stood in the doorway, still wearing her green fishtail dress from last night. The vampire quickly drops the pillow and comes to stand in front of his sister; she goes to walk around him, but he blocks her path again. She glares down at her brother with an icy gaze.

"Get out of my way, Kol."

"Out all night – what a _scandal_," The Original beams, loving how wound up Rebekah is getting. "I trust you did better than that commoner... Matt, was it?"

"If you don't shut your mouth the next thing to come out of it will be your _teeth,_" The blonde Original hisses, glaring down at her bastard of a brother angrily. Kol just smirks provocatively, and Klaus looks up at his two younger siblings, smirks, and then continues to sketch.

"Don't start, Nik!" Rebekah growls, noticing his amusement.

"I didn't say anything," He replies, fighting the urge to laugh. Evelyn just watches them all interact, finding it shocking to see that they act just like siblings would... They are one thousand years old, yet they still wind each other up just like she does Elena. It is surreal.

"I'm _bored_!" Kol sighs, falling down on the arm chair so his legs hang over the side, "Our sister is a strumpet, but at least she's having fun," Kol grins cheekily, turning to at his older brother expectantly, "I need entertainment."

"Was our duel of the pillows not good enough for you?" Evie asks with a smirk, resting her hands on the armchair's back as she looks down at the cheekiest of the Originals. He rolls his eyes.

"For a few seconds," He shrugs before turning to his brother with a whiney voice, "Nik."

"I am not here to entertain you, Kol. There are some bars in town – go, have at it."

"It's no fun going out alone! Join me, Nik!" He pouts, but Klaus has already begun to sketch, again. His pout falls from his face, and his tone darkens at his next words, "It's the least you could do after sticking a dagger in my heart."

"The brat has a point," Evelyn murmurs, moving out of the way to avoid the elbow that Kol tries to give her – she laughs at that, "Come on, Klaus, I'm bored too!"

Klaus doesn't like how well Evie and Kol seem to be getting on, and how suddenly it's happened, but if he joins in at least he can keep an eye on his brother's wandering gaze. He wants them to be friends, but he is more than certain that Kol's intentions are not that pure... Besides, he is asking him to go. He is either trying to be nice, or trying to shove his suddenly blooming friendship with Evelyn in his face.

Probably the latter, but two can play at that game.

"Ok," Klaus murmurs, closing his sketch book and placing the pencil in between its coils. He stands up after that, taking Evelyn's hand in his own and placing a kiss on it before looking down at his brother, "I didn't have nearly enough to drink last night, what, with you trying to kill Rebekah's date."

"Yes, _please_ go, this house has enough men rolling around in it!" The blonde hisses.

"Just like you, Bekah!" Kol chuckles as his sister throws a high heeled shoe his way – it hits the wall, and he peaks his head back around the door once more once the shoe has fallen to the ground, "At least you didn't have to listen to Evie screaming Klaus' name all night."

"_FUCK YOU, KOL!" _Evie growls from somewhere down the hall. Kol just laughs before following his brother and the doppelganger.

"Good riddance, all of you!" She yells after them, relieved that her brother's are out of the way. Just as she is about to head to her room, another familiar figure enters the room.

"Rebekah," Elijah calls, keeping his suspicious oak brown eyes on the object in his hand.

"Ugh, not you too, Elijah," She sighs dejectedly and prepares herself for a lecture, but Elijah's eyes are on the far wall and oddly glazed over. She frowns, watching her brother wearily as he speaks.

"I'm worried about mother," He murmurs, "Have you not noticed her _strange_ behaviour?"

"She's been dead for a thousand years, what's strange for her?" She asks, almost rolling her eyes at her brother's concerns. Elijah glances down at the object he is now holding up for his sister to see, and then meets her eyes once more.

"Burned sage," Rebekah takes the sage and admires it, "She was doing a _privacy_ spell."

Rebekah just shakes her head, "You know she fancies such things – why don't you ask Finn, he's being doting on her."

"I don't trust Finn!" He replies, "He hates what we are... He always has."

"That's not true, and as for mother," Rebekah sighs, "She returned for one reason – to make this family whole; she love us – what trouble are you looking to find?"

...

Back at Caroline's house, Bonnie is trying to master the privacy spell, but to no avail. Caroline can still hear everything that is being said by Elena, which is mainly about how Damon was stupid to sleep with Rebekah. Caroline had entered and offered her opinion on 'Damon the vampire juggalo', but had soon been waved out of the room again. Once Caroline has left, and Elena seems to have shut up about Damon, Bonnie decides to tell her friend what she has been keeping from her today.

"Esther came to see me and Abby, this morning."

Elena looks at her friend, who is sat cross-legged on the bed and waving sage around, in shock. That is soon replaced by annoyance.

"And all this time you've let me vent about _Damon_?" She asks in disbelief; Bonnie just shakes her head like it is nothing.

"I don't want you to worry," She murmurs.

"Okay, well, what did she want?" Elena's voice cracks slightly on the last word; it feels as if her guilt at setting Elijah (and her sister's boyfriend) up for death is threatening to consume her. Bonnie notices Elena's strange behaviour, but says nothing about it.

"She wanted to introduce herself; Abby and I helped bring her back... She's channelling our _entire_ ancestral bloodline for power. I think she thought she was being polite."

"Okay," Elena perches on the edge of the bed and gazes at the candles flame, "Well, is there a way to stop her from channelling you?"

"Even if there was, _why_ would I want that?" Bonnie asks, frowning at Elena suspiciously. The doppelganger inhales sharply, fighting of the need to cry as much as she can whilst she explains her thoughts to Bonnie.

"I just keep thinking... Before the sun and the moon ritual, Elijah found a way to keep me alive... And now I'm in the exact same position, and I'm just going to let him _die_...? It just doesn't feel right..."

"Okay!" Caroline bursts through the door once more and sets her eyes on Bonnie, "First of all, this privacy spell is totally _not_ working, second – Elena, _you_ are not doing this, _Esther is doing this_!"

"There's no time to change your mind, Elena," Bonnie snaps, "He'll be dead by the end of the night."

"_What_?" She asks, shocked at that.

"It's a full moon; Esther needs to harness the energy of a celestial event... She's asked me and Abby to join her."

"No," Elena climbs off of bed and paces the room, "But... I can't let this _happen_, guys! He tried to save me!"

"Elena, you have no choice – what's done is _done_!" Caroline sighs, walking over to try and comfort her, but Elena keeps her away.

"But what about Evelyn?" She asks, her chocolate eyes are full of worry as she meets Caroline's, "She is in love with Klaus... If he dies _who _knows _what_ she'll do?"

"This is Evelyn we're talking about," Bonnie rolls her eyes, "And it doesn't matter – hasn't killing Klaus been the sole agenda from the start? Are you _seriously_ re-considering killing him, after _everything_ he has done to you?" She narrows her eyes at Elena, and then scoffs in disbelief.

"No, I just... I don't know what I want! I _want_ Klaus dead, but I'm worried that she'll flip the switch on her emotions," Elena turns her tear-filled eyes to Bonnie, "Evelyn has lost so much - John, Isobel, Jenna... She has so many _reasons_ to shut out her humanity; the only think that is keeping it on is _Klaus_!"

"What about you?" Caroline asks, "You're her sister – she's keeping it on for you, too."

"What will I matter if Klaus is dead? I'm sure she wouldn't kill me, but she spends so much time with him... And she never came home, last night."

"You mean-?" Bonnie's eyes widen and her face twist in to one of disgust as Elena nods.

"Ew," Caroline cringes, "Who'd sleep with that?"

...

"Oh dear," Kol chimes as the trio enter the grill, "It looks like that rather delicious looking doctor over there thinks we killed people."

"I wonder why," Evie mumbles, earning a half-hearted glare from Klaus and a smirk from Kol, "Don't go antagonizing them – I need to talk to them, and they won't talk to me if you two are being dicks."

"Did you just call him Ric? You're on a nick-name basis with them?" Kol asks curiously, glancing at Klaus as if he expected him to forbid any communication with 'the enemy'. Evie scoffs.

"Of course I am, Ric's my family, Kol," She replies, shoving past the Original as she heads up to the bar. Klaus watches her, and smiles idly as she covers Alaric's eyes with her hands and forces him to guess who it is. Meredith is laughing – she has not met Evelyn yet, but Alaric has told his girlfriend (of sorts) about her. The doctor knows that this is definitely not Elena; she is too carefree, and she dresses a little more provocatively.

"Doesn't she look tasty?" Kol asks admirably, mimicking Klaus' thoughts aloud. Klaus' eyes remain on Evelyn as he replies, in what could be classed as a deadly, possessive tone.

"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver..." After a moment, Klaus smiles, "_Now_, let's go get a drink."

...

"I forgot how much I miss this land," Elijah murmurs, smiling slightly as he looks around the forest. This used to be his old home, back in the Viking Era... He had loved it, back then, when life was so simple... When Tatia was still alive.

"I can't imagine what it must have been like a thousand years ago," Elena tries to picture this place free of trees and filled with huts that were once classed as homes, animals grazing whilst tied to wooden poles and the elder teens playfully sword fighting, but she cannot. It was a different time and place, one that was abandoned and forgotten about centuries ago. She has never really considered how foreign this time must be to the Originals, considering that they grew up in completely different living conditions... _Do they miss it? What do they think of people these days compared to the ones in theirs?_

"You know, your school was built over an Indian village... That's where I saw my first werewolf," He explains, "The town square was where the natives would gather to worship. As a matter of fact, near that was, uh, there was a field - where wild horses used to graze." Elena can see it, now. She remembers Rebekah telling her that the white oak tree was in the centre of the village – was that what they prayed around? And Indians – how _exciting_! Despite the stabbing guilt that has been threatening to overtake her all day, she smiles.

"That's incredible," She breathes, awestruck by his description of his old home.

"Come," He gestures for her to walk with him, and she doesn't hesitate to follow. She is so caught up in Elijah's story that she feels as if there is no choice.

"Do you know this place, too?" She asks, watching as he strokes his hand across a set of rocks.

"I do – below us is a cavern I used to play in as a boy. It connects to a system of tunnels that stretch across the entire area..." Elijah kneels down, now, picking up some pieces of dead grass and rolling them around in between his fingers. "That was nature's way of providing us with shelter against the savages of the full moon... My mother said; 'there must be a balance.'"

Upon Esther being mentioned, the shooting sensation of guilt returns with a new found vengeance. Here she is, listening to Elijah's story, walking with him as if she is his friend... She nervously tucks some hair behind her ear and sighs.

"Elijah, I should probably go home."

"I admire you, Elena." He ignores what she said beforehand as he rises to his feet. "You remind me of qualities I valued long before my mother turned us..." He wets his lips with his tongue and points to her as he speaks, but gazes off in to the forest, "It is against your nature to be deceitful and, yet, when I asked about your meeting with my mother the other night, you lied to my face." When Elijah's oak brown eyes turn to hers, she has to look down. Her breath catches in her throat, and the guilt increases immensely... Along with her fear. He watches her expectantly, but Elena does not notice – she just stares at the ground and shakes her head.

"That's not true," She lies, "I told you, all your mother wanted was a new start-"

"I can hear your _heart beat_," Elijah snaps, "It jumps when you're being dishonest with me. You lied to me at the ball, you are lying to me now(!)" Elijah walks over to stand in front of Elena, and her whole body stiffens as his angry eyes keep hers trapped on his. _Like a predator would its prey_, she thinks. "Tell me the truth."

"I never wanted this to happen," She almost whispers, the lump in her throat that guilt brings with it has her lower lip trembling ever-so-slightly. _No_, _I will not cry... I don't deserve to cry_.

"_What_, Elena!" He does not ask, he _orders_ her to tell him. He cannot compel her due to the fact that she consumes vervain, but it feels like he has as she finally tells him what she has secretly wanted to tell him since that meeting with Esther.

"We were told that whatever was going to be in that coffin was going to kill Klaus, when we found out it was your _mother_..." She shakes her head and pauses, trying to regain her composure as some of her guilt becomes evident in her voice, "We didn't know what to think."

"Since her return she's said that she only wants this family whole again," He murmurs.

"When she asked to see me I... thought that maybe she could help; that she would find a way to kill Klaus. I..." She cannot stop the tears that are slowly beginning to fill her eyes – not whilst she says this, "It's not just Klaus that she wants to kill..."

The realization hits Elijah with the force of a tidal wave, but he does not show it.

"She wants to kill us all, doesn't she?" The Original presses his lips in to a tight line, finally putting all of the puzzle pieces together, "She wants to undo the evil she created."

"I'm so sorry, Elijah. I wish that there was something I could do to _help_!" She is so sincere in what she is saying – the idea Elijah receives forms too quickly, and despite being the most thoughtful of the Original siblings, he acts impulsively.

"You know, one thing I've learnt in my time on this earth..." He looks down in to her sad, doe-like eyes as he speaks, "Be careful what you wish for."

Elena gives him a confused look, but that is soon replaced by shock as he shoves his foot in to the ground, causing the roof of the cave underneath them to give way. Elena gasps and goes to jump back, but Elijah already has her in his arms. He jumps down in to the cave, leaving her human self trapped.

And then he's gone.

...

"Evelyn," Alaric chuckles as the doppelganger finally allows him to see, again. She smiles sweetly at him.

"Hey, Ric!" The vampire turns to the woman besides Alaric and holds out her hand, "And you must be Meredith – I'm Evelyn, but you can call me Evie."

"Oh, hey, Evie," Meredith gives the vampire a smile before reaching out to shake her hand.

"So, what brings you here?" Ric glances around the room, his face drops in to a scowl as he spots Klaus and Kol walking towards them, "You brought them?"

"Actually, they brought me," Evelyn sighs, "But what brings me to you is Elena – she hasn't been picking up her phone all day, and she wasn't at home when I went to, uh..." _Get some clothes_, "Pick up some stuff."

"I've been wondering the same thing-"

"If it isn't my old friend, Alaric!" Klaus smirks devilishly as he and Kol take two seats at the bar, "Nice to see you, mate."

"Seriously?" Evie scoffs – she had been filled in about Klaus possessing Ric's body a while ago, now. She still thinks that something like that is creepy as hell, "Can't you behave for once?"

"Hmm," Klaus pretends to ponder the thought, and then smiles, "Nope."

"Dick," Evie scoffs, almost stopping Meredith's heart cold as she speaks the word to an _Original vampire/werewolf_... She forgets how to _breathe_ as the hybrid pulls her in to his arms, laughing as she slaps his arms away from her waist.

"Don't mind us," Kol speaks up now, watching Evelyn as he speaks to Alaric, "My brother and I are just here to let off some steam, isn't that right, Nik?"

"Right," Klaus smiles, "So – why don't you order us some scotch?"

...

"I can't find her anywhere" Stefan storms in to the parlour, obviously irritated by Elena's disappearance. He is taken aback to see that Elijah is sat in one of the armchairs.

"Hello Stefan," He murmurs in a bored tone.

"He has Elena," Damon growls through clenched teeth.

"Actually, she's with Rebekah," Elijah corrects him, "As you can imagine, my sister is just _dying_ to tear her throat out," A ghost of a smirk dances across his lips as he speaks, "_So_, if you want to save Elena's life, I need you to help me stop my mother."

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit that when it comes to killing one thousand year old resurrected witches, I'm a little rusty," Damon mumbles sarcastically.

"Yes, unfortunately even when _killed _my mother doesn't seem to want to stay dead – not with the spirits of nature at her side."

"What're we supposed to do?" Stefan asks, stepping in to the room as he watches Elijah curiously.

"The witches that released my mother, she is drawing her power from their bloodline. That needs to be broken."

"Broken?" Stefan frowns, waiting for Elijah to elaborate. He glances at Damon, who draws his finger across his throat in a slitting motion. Realization dawns upon Stefan, and he turns back to Elijah. "You want us to kill them."

"You know I'd do it myself, but I have absolutely _no idea_ where they are. Besides, seeing me, they would immediately know my intent – they wouldn't expect to be harmed by the likes of you," The Original sucks in a quick breath and stands from his seat, "In any case, you have until six minutes after nine to find them."

"Oh, how _super_ specific of you," Damon scoffs bitterly.

"By that time the moon will be full, and my mother will have the power to kill me and my family – if you do not stop her before then, Rebekah _will_ _kill_ Elena... So, we all have our timeline. I suggest you get started."

...

"So, what's the plan?" Alaric asks Damon quietly as he watches Meredith and Evelyn play pool, thanking his lucky stars that the Grill is pretty full, tonight.

"_Divide and conquer – I'm hoping Evelyn will eventually do that on her own,_" Damon replies through the phone.

"Shall I make something up to get her pissed at Klaus? Maybe that'll do the trick," He offers, glancing at Klaus and Kol who have their lips plastered to their glasses. They have drank so much alcohol through the day that he is more than sure that they are drunk.

"_Sure, won't hurt to try it out._"

"Right – I'll call you later."

Ric hangs up at that, and then turns from the banister to the vampire and doctor. Meredith has just taken a shot and potted, so whilst she takes another, Ric gestures for Evie to come over. A bemused expression crosses Evelyn's face as she heads over.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

"Actually, it's... Well, it's something you kind of need to know... About Klaus," Ric glances around the room as he tries to come up with a reasonable lie. Evelyn watches him carefully.

"Well, what is it?" She asks.

"He..." The history teacher's eyes land on Caroline, who is sat eating a meal with her mother, and the lie leaves his lips before he even has to think, "He's been flirting with Caroline."

Evelyn's eyes widen in shock, and then narrow angrily as she turns to look at Klaus, who is in the middle of a conversation with Kol.

"When?" She asks, not looking away from the hybrid as she speaks.

"I saw them at the ball, and then I saw him staring at her, earlier on... I don't know it if means anything, but I just thought you might like to know about it," He explains, surprised at how easily the lie seems to come to him. Evelyn nods, gnawing on her lower lip sadly.

"Ok... Thanks for letting me know, Ric," She murmurs, narrowing her eyes at Klaus once more, "I may just need to talk to him about that."


	22. We Are All Dysfunctional

_I am so, SO sorry for the long wait. I have had so much school work to do that I haven't really had time for writing, plus I was reading the Hunger Games, too. IT'S A BRILLIANT BOOK AND I SUGGEST THAT YOU ALL READ IT & THEN WATCH THE FILM! :D sorry about that. Anyway, I am back from my hiatus despite still having too much to do because I missed writing. The chapter '1912' may take a few days to put up because I have been too busy to write this weekend (up until now) so I apologize for that. Anyway, I am so sorry and I hope you enjoy this! (p.s. if any of you are Hunger Game fans, I will be posting a fic of that up soon! Keep an eye out for it.)_

...

As Elena speaks to Rebekah and listens to what the blonde has to say, the guilt threatens to overtake her completely. In between fighting to save the Salvatores and trying to find a way to get rid of Klaus, she has turned in to the one person she _never_ wanted to become.

She has turned in to Katherine.

Hurting Damon, killing Rebekah so she could get what she wanted, turning against Elijah, betraying Evelyn, forcing her brother away... The list keeps getting longer and longer, and despite telling herself that she isn't going to be like _her_ any more, she ends up falling in to it anyway. Is this what doppelgangers are cursed in to? Acting like one another... It is as if this curse has doomed whoever may meet the doppelgangers in to a world of misery – they are entranced in to a snare, and then live a life of worry whilst trying to protect the thing that brought them pain.

Elena doesn't really understand why people keep trying to save her, any more... Rebekah's annoyance only heightens that. They should be treating her as Rebekah does, now, not trying to protect her. She lies to them and goes behind their backs, and it may be to protect them but she can never win, either way... She just hopes that Evelyn can do things differently. If she dies today, then hopefully her sister will not turn in to Katherine.

As she abides Rebekah's orders and sits on the ground, she wonders if the Original Petrova was ever this selfish.

...

"Evelyn," Klaus growls exasperatedly as he follows her out in to the darkness of the night. She is storming across a street with her arms folded over her chest and refuses to look or speak to him. The hybrid is surprisingly un-coordinated as he tries to decipher what he has done, now, and almost gets hit by a car. The driver beeps their horn angrily, but he does not give them much thought as he finally catches up with his girlfriend. Upon this, he grabs her arm and forces her to turn around. He can read Evelyn like an open book – she is masking her hurt behind anger, but the pain is most definitely there. You can always tell when Evelyn is faking anger, because there is no spark that, given the power, could ignite whatever she glares at in to flames. He sighs and gazes down at her sadly. "Evie, please talk to me. What has happened?"

"What's happened?" She scoffs, "What's _happened_ is you went behind my back!"

"_What_?" He gasps, appalled that she could even _consider_ that he would do such a thing.

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Alaric told me about what you were doing. Flirting with _Caroline_? Seriously? She's one of my best _friends_!"

"But I didn't-"

She slaps him.

"Stop _lying_ about it!" She shrieks, "Alaric would _not_ lie to me about that, Klaus, he's my _family_!"

"Well obviously your family are not as trustworthy as you think, because he is _definitely_ lying to you!" He growls, his eyes flash gold-and-black as he holds his cheek. "I cannot _believe_ that youthink that I-" Klaus' sentence falters as he gasps at the sudden stabbing sensation in his chest. He reaches his hand to the place – his heart – and then falls to his knees. The world seems to blur over for a moment, and when he comes back to it Evelyn is clinging on to his shoulders and shaking him in panic.

"Klaus? Klaus, what's wrong?" She asks, tears sparkle in her doe-like eyes as she moves her hands to cup his face in her hands. Realization dawns on Klaus, at that point.

"Alaric lied to you," He heaves as if he is going to be sick before continuing, "To get us away from Kol... Kol!" He stands up and groans at the feeling of having something stuck in his heart despite nothing being there, and then runs at high speed to the place where he can hear Alaric, Stefan and Damon speaking to one another... The sound is coming from the ally besides the Grill. Before they know it, Klaus is suddenly there. He pulls the dagger from his brother's heart, throws Alaric in to the wall to his right, throws Stefan in to a set of stairs and then turns his angry glare on to Damon.

"I should've killed you _months_ ago," He spits at the cornered Salvatore brother.

"Do it," Damon shrugs, "It's not going to stop Esther from killing _you_."

"What did you say about my mother?" He asks dangerously whilst walking closer to the impulsive vampire, attempting to intimidate him in to silence. Damon's eyes are wary, but he still speaks despite placing himself in to danger.

"You didn't know I was friends with your Mummy? Yeah, we have a lot in common. She _hates you_ as much as I do."

The growl that leaves Klaus' lips is not at all human, but before he can seize the arrogant vampire by the throat and tear out his heart, Elijah interrupts.

"Leave him!" Klaus turns around to see his brother stood at the top of the stairs, "We still need him, Niklaus."

"What did mother do?" Klaus asks as he walks away from Damon and closer to Elijah. The hybrid watches his brother's body stiffen as he sighs. Klaus grows impatient, "What did she _do_, Elijah?" Deciding that there is not enough time to explain, right now, Elijah heads down the steps and pulls his cell phone from his pocket. The Original goes to stand in front of Damon as he speaks.

"You tell me where the witches are, or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now," He warns. Damon turns his cerulean eyes from Elijah's and looks up at the town square's clock; when he sees that it is half past eight he turns back to Elijah with a frown.

"You told me we had until after _nine_!"

"I'm sure Rebekah would be more than happy to start her work early," Elijah replies confidently. Damon looks up at the top of the stairs, now, and when he notices the look on Evelyn's face his eyes widen. Elijah proceeds to look in the direction, but he never really gets the chance to see her. As he turns, the newly turned vampire grabs his shirt collar and pins him against the wall.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN _KILL ELENA_? WHAT'VE YOU DONE WITH MY SISTER?" She growls, her fangs elongate and her eyes go black as she hisses animalistically at the Original. Elijah narrows his eyes at her challengingly, but before a fight between the two can break out, Klaus grabs Evelyn from behind and wraps his arms around her in restraint; but Evelyn manages to catch Klaus' nose with her elbow and he growls in frustration as he feels it break. She ignores her boyfriends cussing as her enraged brown eyes meet Elijah's once more.

"Tell me where my sister is or there'll be hell to pay."

Elijah smirks, "I'm sorry, Evelyn, but if your sister's Salvatore brothers do not find your witches then Elena will be killed. If you're smart then you'll help them."

Evelyn turns her wild eyes to Klaus as he pushes his nose back in to place, once he has done that she slaps him across the face.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING? HOW _COULD YOU?_"

"I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING!" Klaus turns to Elijah furiously, "No one bothered to _tell me_."

"I did not have time, Niklaus." Elijah replies, but Klaus catches the way his brother glances at Evelyn. He knows _exactly_ what Elijah means by that – he thought that he would tell Evelyn and ruin everything... He wants to laugh and to prove him wrong, but not with the Salvatores around. He decides to drop it and turns to his angry girlfriend.

"Find the witches or Elena dies," He orders emotionlessly before disappearing with Kol and Elijah.

...

"They are coming, mother!" Finn warns his mother and the two Bennett witches from where he is stood in the centre of the witch sign made from sand. Esther's eyes widen as she shakes her head.

"No, it's too soon – the moon is not high enough!" The panicked witch turns to the Bennett's and gestures to the witch house, "Go – quickly!" Abby and Bonnie do not argue, they simply head in to the house and leave the two Originals to wait for their family to join them. Kol, Klaus and Elijah make their way over to the circle with grave expressions as Esther joins Finn.

"My sons; come forward." She greets them.

"Step aside, mother," Finn warns her cautiously, but Esther takes no notice.

"It's ok, they cannot enter," She replies with ease, but keeps her eyes on her sons as they reach the circle.

"That's _lovely_," Kol says with sarcasm coating his voice, "We're stuck out here while the favourite son plays sacrificial lamb... How _pathetic_ you are, Finn."

"Be _quiet_, Kol. Your brother knows virtue you cannot even _imagine_," Esther replies in disgust at Kol... Her son – just one of the monsters that she created.

"Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be an atrocity," Elijah snarls hatefully.

"My only regret is that I did not let you die one thousand years ago," She replies with nothing but honesty.

"Enough – all this talk is boring me. End this now, mother, or I'll send you back to hell." Klaus cannot help the smirk that crosses his lips as he stares at his mother maliciously. She turns her gaze to him and slowly walks towards the edge of the circle as she replies.

"For a thousand years I have been forced to watch you. I've felt the pain of every victim and suffered whilst you shed blood..." She turns her disappointed gaze to Elijah, "Even you Elijah with your 'claim to nobility'... You're _no better_; _all_ of you are a curse on this earth, stretched out over generations... If you've come to plead for your life, I'm sorry; you've wasted your time." Tears shimmer in the Original witch's eyes as reflections of the flames dance within them. Elijah glances from his emotionless brother and then back at his mother... And he finally understands why she hates them, so much.

She is right.

Meanwhile, Bonnie and Abby are making their way through the dark, decaying witch house. Bonnie leads the way to the basement with determination, and Abby tags along behind her; she cannot help but glance around the room and try to see whatever is in there... _Whoever_ is in there.

"This place has some serious vibe in it," Abby comments uneasily.

"The witch spirits will protect us from the Originals but we should get in to the basement," Bonnie explains reassuringly before walking down the steps. Abby is about to follow, but she hears a floorboard creak from somewhere behind her and panics. She spins around and searches the shadows for any sign of movements, but there is none. At this point, Bonnie realizes that there are no footsteps following hers.

"Abby?" She calls up the staircase, but there is no answer... As the seconds pass by, Bonnie begins to grow suspicious. A few seconds later she hears a floorboard creak – she spins around and gasps as she almost collides with Stefan. "Stefan... What's going on?"

"They took Elena and they're going to kill her unless we stop Esther," He explains quickly. The look in Stefan's eyes betrays a sort of maliciousness... Although his words have already scared her, she feels almost petrified by his presence more than what he is saying. Her eyes fill with this fear as she speaks.

"I... Stefan, I can't- I can't _stop_ her, she's _channelling_ us!"

"Bonnie, if you can't _stop _her then I have to find _another way_..."

Bonnie suddenly realizes what he means, and why he had that stone-cold look in his eyes. She shakes her head as her eyes fill with dread, "No... Stefan, _no_." She whispers, before turning to run, but he is already in her way before she can rush up the stairs.

"What're you going to do? If you kill us Esther's channelling every witch in our ancestry, living _and_ dead."

"Esther's drawing from the witches and the only way to cut her off is if one of you is no longer a witch."

Bonnie does not even have time to scream. She hears someone's muffled scream and Evelyn as she says something in a quiet voice, and then Damon as he says:

"This will only hurt a second."

And then a snap of bones echoes through the house.

The flames surrounding the circle in which Esther and Finn are stood inside begin to thrash wildly, and Esther feels the powers that she had such a tight grasp on beginning to float away from her. Her eyes widen in alarm and annoyance as she shouts:

"No... Sisters, do _not abandon me_!"

The flames are so much brighter and warmer to the Originals. Kol, Elijah and Klaus cover their faces to shield their eyes from the brightness of the flames. Loud whispers and hisses created by female voices fill the air, and then the fire goes out. Slowly, Elijah, Kol and Klaus turn back to the circle where their mother and brother were stood.

Esther and Finn are _gone_.

...

The night is silent as Evie follows her sister up Caroline's porch. She keeps her steely brown eyes on Elena and nothing _but _Elena as she knocks on the door. The human doppelganger's eyes shift from the door to her sister, and when she sees the look in her eyes she sighs exasperatedly.

"Evie, I'm _fine_. You don't need to babysit me."

"Stop lying," She murmurs, "It doesn't matter, anyway. I'm not leaving you alone again. Period... Besides, I want to talk to Bonnie, too."

Elena rolls her eyes, but she does not get to reply because Caroline is already stood in the doorway as she thinks of a response. The blonde fidgets uncomfortably as she shares silent thanks with Evelyn for taking care of Elena like this, and then she turns to Elena and inhales deeply.

"She doesn't want to see you two."

Hurt crosses Elena's features, and she feels her stubborn side make an appearance as she begs, "Please... Just let us talk to her."

"Abby is in transition – It's going to be really hard over the next few days – Evie, you know that as well as I do... and if Bonnie needs some time to deal then I think you should give it to her."

Evie feels her heart tighten with sorrow as she realizes just how upset this has made Bonnie... It makes her feel _so guilty_ for telling Stefan and Damon to turn Abby rather than Bonnie. Right now, Bonnie probably wishes that it was her and not her mother. Elena does not know that this is Evelyn's fault, so she remains persistent.

"She's always been there for me, Caroline... Please just let me be there for her."

Caroline sighs, and the sound is slightly agitated. "I'm sorry, Elena, I know that you want to help but put yourself in her shoes – everything that happened tonight was to save _you_, and that's okay because she loves you; _so much_... But somehow she is always the one who gets hurt."

Elena glances at Evie and notices that she has already given up on trying to enter, so she nods, "I know, you're right... I just... Just tell her that I love her, okay?"

"Of course I will."

"And tell her I'm sorry," Evie whispers, ensuring that it is too quiet for Elena to hear. "I wasn't thinking straight... I was the one who told Stefan and Damon to turn Abby and not Bonnie... I didn't realize that she cared about her so much."

Caroline nods, but she can already tell that this news has infuriated her. Evelyn contributed towards what happened tonight, and although she was trying to protect her family it was still wrong. It seems that she cannot do anything right, lately.

"So," Elena sighs heavily, "What happened whilst I was down there?"

Evie scoffs as she looks up at the night sky, "Klaus basically told me that, when it comes to his life, he'll gladly let me suffer."

Elena watches her sister as she avoids any eye contact and tries to figure out how she managed to fall in love with the enemy. What good traits could Klaus possibly have? She wishes that she knew, just so she could try and justify her sister's feelings for him... But, in her eyes, Klaus is a monster. He killed her parents, her aunt, and he has almost killed Alaric and Jeremy on some occasions... And for that she will _always_ despise him.

"I don't get it," She frowns at the sidewalk as she speaks, "How can you _love_ him...?"

Evie sighs as she plays with her fingers uneasily. She wants to shout and scream at Klaus for what he has done today, but she knows there is no point in fighting with him over it. She could stay mad, but she knows that she will just go back to him whether they break up over this or not. This is Klaus, and this is her, and this is what their relationship has come to.

"I love him too much," She murmurs, "That's the problem... I can't fight it, because I just love him. I can't explain why or how, I just do." Evelyn lets out a heavy sigh, "I don't suppose you'll come to his with me, will you?"

Elena narrows her eyes, "Shut up and go, I'll see you at home. And don't even _think_ about ordering me a babysitter – I am capable of taking care of myself."

...

Klaus is burning drawings in the fireplace when Evie walks in. The room is so quiet that the crackling of the fire and burning paper can be heard; as she walks closer to him, she can see that the pictures are of his mother. Her eyes fill with sorrow as she looks up at his emotionless face.

"I thought you would hate me, by now... My brother's are leaving, and I am sure that Rebekah is going to leave... _Esther_ and Finn have gone, too. It would make sense for you to abandon me, too. I deserve it, after all."

"I hated you for what you said, earlier... The way you spoke about _my_ _sister's_ _life _disgusted me. You need to understand that Elena is the only real family that I have left, and I would die for her... I can't stand that you would so easily take that away from me. There were other ways to get the Salvatores to do your _dirty work_; you didn't _need_ to threaten Elena!" Evelyn's enraged eyes are locked with Klaus' as she waits for an answer, but he does not give her one. Instead, she continues; "But then I realized that, no matter how badly we treat each other, we just can't seem to break this," She gestures between the two of them in defeat, "Off... I love you too much."

Klaus' emotionless expression finally turns in to a smirk, "Well, aren't we a pair?" He places the sketch pad on top of the fireplace and then walks over to Evelyn, takes her in his arms and kisses her softly. She returns the kiss with gentility, at first, but both of them become more and more demanding as time passes.

Rebekah barges in and ignores the fact that they are making out heavily as she holds up her phone, "Nik, there's something I think you need to see."

Klaus glares at her angrily, "not _now_, Bekah, we're a little... _Busy_."

"Just _look_ at the images on the wall behind Elena." Klaus sighs but unwillingly looks, anyway. Evelyn admires the hand-painted drawings on the wall behind her sister, too, but she does not understand any of them. "The natives told the story of our family history – look at the images on the far wall."

"What is it?" Klaus asks impatiently.

"A native worshiping at the white oak tree!"

"So?" He mumbles uncaringly, "We burnt that tree to the ground."

"Look at the markings that precede it! That is a native calendar!" Klaus frowns and shakes his head slightly, but he takes a look at the calendar anyway... His eyes widen as he begins to calculate the time that the calendar was placed on there, and fails to match up the dates of the calendar and the white oak tree... That can only mean _one thing_...

"This can't be right," He hisses with wide eyes.

"Guys, what _is_ it?" Evelyn snaps impatiently, growing scared from the way that the two Originals are acting.

"A white oak tree _three hundred years_ after we fled back to the old world," Rebekah explains, "There must have been a sapling – a new tree to replace the old... That tree could _kill us_..." She turns to Klaus with child-like eyes, "It's not over, Nik."


	23. 1912

_A/N: Alright so, as you can see, my muses came back! YAY! So here is another chapter. I have spent as much free time as I could through this past week writing this chapter so I hope you like it, I apologize in advance for any mistakes and I want to thank everyone who left an understanding review for me. Your acceptance of the hiatus was lovely and really made me feel better. One more thing - I don't want to give you all the wrong impression. I completed my Drama exam yesterday but I still have a Film Studies and Sociology exam to do so I won't be updating weekly like I used to. Sorry, but I will do my best to get the next chapter up soon, I promise. :)_

_..._

Evelyn Gilbert yawns as she enters the Mikaelsons kitchen. The doppelganger twin has practically just woken up and, when she realized that Klaus was nowhere to be found, she decided to investigate his whereabouts... He didn't _usually_ leave the bedroom until she told him to, now that she was allowing him to have his wicked way with her. Evie smirks to herself at that but this is soon followed by a frown. _Where is he?_ She heard cluttering and footsteps from downstairs and thought that he may have been gracious enough to make her breakfast or something, but when she opens her eyes from a yawn she is met by Rebekah and a steaming cup of coffee being extended to her.

"Good morning," The blonde Original smiles sweetly in greeting; Evie looks down at the steaming mug and then takes it with a quiet thanks. She takes a sip of the warm coffee and sighs happily.

"Where's Klaus?" She asks. Rebekah scoffs and rolls her sky blue eyes, and when she answers her voice has a sarcastic twinge to it.

"He's gone to find Finn, after discovering that your _marvellous_ twin sister gave her blood to my mother so that she could link us as one, he thinks he may be able to find some way to unlink us."

Evelyn slams the coffee cup on the table, forgetting that it is in fact filled with a hot drink. The coffee splashes out of the cup and on to her arm. This causes her to hiss as it scalds her unsuspecting skin. Rebecca smirks to herself as anger fills Evie's chocolate eyes; _it seems that no one has told her, yet_.

"She did _what_?" Evie hisses, "I can't _believe_ her!"

"Don't act so surprised," Rebekah sighs before taking a drink of her own coffee. She gazes out of the window and rubs her thumb across her warm mug as she loses herself in a daze. The Original's voice takes on a dream-like tone as she elaborates, "Elena wants us all dead just as the rest of them do."

"Yeah, well after saving her Salvatores on more than _one_ occasion I thought that she'd be a little more understanding," Evie snaps. She ignores the chuckle that Rebekah gives her as she storms upstairs. After a moment of contemplation, Evelyn pulls on a spare change of clothes and then heads straight out of the house. Although she does still like Rebekah – and she could probably do with helping the vampire find the white oak tree - she is still mad at her for trying to kill Elena, so she doesn't feel too helpful at this moment in time. The vampire lets out a loud sigh as she shoves her keys in to her car's ignition – _why can't everyone just get along? Why do they all have to try and kill each other?_

To Evie's annoyance, her journey to the Gilberts home was useless, as the house is void of Alaric _and_ Elena. Just as she is about to head out to the Grill to see if her sister is _there_ her phone begins to buzz in her pocket. Evelyn pulls out her iPhone and glowers at the device as Elena Gilbert pops up on the screen; _twin telepathy? _She rolls her eyes and then answers the phone.

"Where are you?" She hisses.

"_What have I done?_" Elena asks, "_Look, I have to tell-"_

"Why didn't you tell me about giving your blood to Esther?" Evie snaps, cutting Elena's sentence off completely as she climbs back in to her car, "Don't try and change the subject, either."

There is a long pause before Elena replies.

"_Evie, I'm sorry, I-_"

"If you meant that then you wouldn't have done it in the first place!" She spits, slamming the car's door as she does so. "I can't _believe_ you!"

Elena tries to make some sort of apology, but Evelyn hangs up before Elena gets the chance to finish. The vampire throws the cell phone on to the passenger's seat beside her and then folds her arms on top of the steering wheel and tries to even out her breathing. She is not sure if she has over-reacted or not – what, with how heightened her emotions have been since she turned – but she cannot help but feel a little guilty about speaking to her sister like she just did. As if on cue, her cell phone buzzes twice to signal that she has received a message and, after a moment of hesitation, Evie decides that it is probably a good idea to pick it up... Even if the message is from someone she doesn't want to talk to right now it may be important.

_**Elena Gilbert  
><strong>__Ric has been arrested; Dr. Fell has set him up for the murders. And I'm sorry x_

...

_This day has already proved to be the worst day ever, _Evelyn thinks to herself as she parks her car and opens the door. She wishes that she could speak to Klaus, but she _has_ to see Ric before she does anything else. The vampire greets the odd few people she knows from school as she walks up to the Police Station and, once she enters, she immediately heads over to where Liz Forbes is talking to two other members of the Police Force.

"Sherriff Forbes," Evie murmurs, and then blushes as she realizes that she has interrupted something that seems to be important. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but can I see Ric?"

Liz exchanges an uneasy glance with a male Police officer but she can see that Evelyn is worried and, to be honest, she is too. Alaric is a friend and arresting him was not easy to do. After a short moment of silence, Liz nods and then tells the other two officers to go to their stations.

"Follow me, Evelyn," The Sherriff murmurs, and Evie does just that. They both head up a flight of stairs and pass another Police Officer or two before entering a hallway of dull cells; all of them are empty... Except for one. Once Evie's eyes meet Ric's she grasps the steel bars and then looks down at his shirt in shock – the scent of his blood is tantalising, but the fact that he is injured wins out on her instincts to attack him.

"Oh my god, what _happened_ to you?" Evie's words and expression are flustered and panicked as she asks. She can see that Alaric is angry and that is made even more obvious as he exhales in pent-up frustration.

"Meredith shot me! I found one of our knives in her kitchen, she told me I wasn't supposed to see that and then she _shot_ me – and the next thing I know is that I'm locked up in a cell and getting labelled as a serial killer!" The History teacher sends an accusing glare in Sherriff Forbes direction, which causes her to look down at the ground. Evie follows his glare to the Sherriff before looking back at him with the same panicked expression as she had before.

"Isn't there anything I can do?" She turns back to the Sherriff as her voice begins to turn angry, "You seriously believe that Ric would do something like this? How _could _you?"

"I don't know _what_ to believe, but I have already talked to Damon about this – if _any_ of you try to get involved then you'll be joining him in there!" Liz points to Alaric's cell with a serious look in her eyes, "I know this is upsetting you but there is nothing I can do, for now. Unless there is any evidence that backs up Ric's innocence then there is absolutely nothing that I can do."

"Well surely you can't keep him in there forever," Evelyn wants to scoff but she thinks better of it, "What about if you don't get any evidence at all?"

"Then we'll be able to release him some time tomorrow but, for now, he's just going to have to stay in here..." Liz's eyes fill with regret as she continues to watch Evelyn desperately search for a way to get him out, "But I'm afraid to say that the evidence is there. It is his weapons that were used." This is _really_ irritating both Evelyn and Alaric as they _know_ that he is innocent. Luckily Alaric knows his emotions and he can keep a firm grip on his control, but Evie's emotions are still somewhat overpowering and foreign to her and this situation is starting to test that new sense of control that she is still trying to adjust to. The vampire's hands clench tighter around the metal bars; they mould to the shapes of her fingers, snapping slightly as they give way to her strength.

"I think Ric would _know_ if he was killing people!" Evie's tone is beginning to quiver as it borders on to rage, which shocks both Liz and Alaric. The Sherriff is still wary of unfamiliar vampires so she immediately becomes defensive; luckily Alaric knows what to do.

"Look, Evie, I appreciate that you want to get me out of here but don't do anything too drastic, just... Just find Elena and try to look in to all of this; surely there will be _something_ out there that proves my innocence, right?" Evie's raging eyes leave Liz's and return to Alaric's – once she has listened to his words they soften ever-so-slightly and, when she nods in defeat, he gives her a relieved half-smile, "Thank you."

The doppelganger says her farewells to Alaric and then begrudgingly allows Sherriff Forbes to guide her back to the Station's reception. She thinks that all of this is ridiculously unfair, but there is nothing she can do about it right now. _No, there is_. She can find Elena and try to discover some sort of evidence to help Ric out... But what would that be? Where could they start that search off?

This is the first time she has ever been relieved to see Damon Salvatore.

"Hey, Evie," The older vampire greets her and then nods in greeting to the Sherriff, "Have you been to see Ric?"

"Yep, just visited him now." Evelyn shoots a quick glare at Liz and then looks back at the older Salvatore brother – she speaks to him again in a tone that is too quite for any humans to hear, "Try and talk her in to getting him out of there; I'm going to try and find some evidence to back him up, alright?"

"Sure," He nods once before turning to Liz and asking to see Ric himself. Evelyn's tensed shoulders relax slightly as Damon follows his fellow council member down the hall – Damon cares about Ric as much as they do so _surely_ he'll figure something out. With this new found (although minute) confidence, Evie heads out of the Station and then reaches for her phone but, before she can call Elena, Klaus' name pops up and her phone begins to vibrate repeatedly. With a loud sigh she answers the call and presses the phone to her ear.

"I'm so popular today; phone calls and messages _galore_!" Her tone quickly takes on an irritated edge, "But it's now half past one and I've not heard from you until _now_."

"_Miss me, love?_" Klaus chuckles from the other side of the line, "_I certainly miss you. I'm sorry I had to leave so early but I had business to attend to; I'm sure Rebekah caught you up to speed._"

"Yes she did. Ugh, I wish you were here. I'm pretty pissed off with that sister of mine but, for now, I'm going to have to join forces with her. Where are you?"

"_Don't change the subject_," Evelyn can almost _hear_ Klaus rolling his eyes, "_What's going on?_"

"Alaric's being blamed for all of these stupid murders," Evie pouts as she speaks the words, "And now I'm playing detective. I'm upset, I'm angry and I don't even have a boyfriend here to take it all out on," Her tone has a teasing edge to it that causes Klaus to laugh.

"_If I tell the Sherriff that you physically abuse me on a daily basis I'm sure she will put you in that cell of Alaric's. _Maybe_ you could sneak a deck of cards in there; entertain him for a while._"

Despite her bad day Evie finally smiles, "If you are referring to all of the slaps that you have been on the receiving end of lately then I have three words for you – _you deserved them_."

"_I'm sure I did but if you truly believe that you'll get away with hitting an Original Hybrid then you're poorly mistaken._"As Evelyn listens to Klaus speak she opens the door to the Grill and enters the bar/restaurant. The doppelganger scoffs at his words as she searches the small crowd for anyone that she knows – maybe her sister is here.

"Oh I'm _so_ scared! What're you going to do, bark at me?" When she hears his laughter emanating through the phone she giggles herself, but that comes up short as she spots Rebekah and Mrs Lockwood sat at a table together – the two of them seem to be locked in a rather interesting conversation, "Hmm, I've just found Rebekah."

"_Ah, what is my lovely sister up to?_" Klaus asks.

"Wait, no, you never answered my question. What're _you_ up to? I know you're searching for Finn but where _are_ you?" Evie demands that he answers rather than asks, but Klaus ignores that.

"_I assure you that I am not too far – I will be back soon enough_."

"That doesn't answer my question, but _fine_." Evie grumbles before casting her eyes around to the bar area. There are various drunkards sat around the mahogany counter; one of them is strikingly familiar, "Oh, it seems that I've found another Salvatore," She says aloud, "I'm going to go ask him what he knows. I'll leave you to find Finn."

"_Alright, sweetheart_," Klaus murmurs distractedly, "_I think I've found another lead. I'll call you later_."

"Okay," She smiles sadly as she says her next words, wishing that he was here to say them to in person, "I love you." He chuckles but replies.

"_I love you too, you typical teenage girl_."

"Shut up and hang up already old man," She replies with mock-anger. Klaus' laughter momentarily fills her ear once more before a clicking occurs, and then the line is dead. Evie looks back at the bar to see if Stefan is still there and, when her eyes meet the back of his chestnut brown hair, she immediately walks over to him.

"Evelyn," He greets her without turning around, "What brings you here?"

"Nostalgia, of course," She replies boldly whilst she falls back on to one of the bar stools. Once she is sat down she lays her eyes on the bottle of bourbon he has and then takes it from his grasp, "Can't I catch up with the guy who murdered me out of cold blood and revenge? Let us reminisce in those wonderful memories. Do you remember when-?"

"You're not helping," He growls under his breath, but Evelyn does not care in the _slightest_ about Stefan so it does not bother her. The vampire takes a long, burning drink of the amber liquid and then inhales deeply.

"Aww, that's too bad," She pouts, "Nah – I actually came to see if you have any idea where my little sister could be?"

"Visiting Alaric," Stefan replies monotonously as he reaches to take the bottle from Evie, "Damon just passed her as he was leaving. He's coming over to have a little bonding time, so you may want to scram."

"Alright – I wouldn't want to interrupt," Her voice is laced with sarcasm and bitterness as she speaks; those are the only real emotions she can afford for Stefan Salvatore. This bastard killed her and she will never forgive him for that, "Later, dick." She turns to leave but a strange tapping sound stops her short. The sound is extremely irritating; she scans the area for the source and turns around – it's Stefan, clicking that stupid ring of his against the table. "Damn, someone's suffering from the blood shortage," She smirks as she slaps his hand off the table, "Stop it or you'll drive away the customers." And with that, Evelyn leaves the Grill. She feels very active today – what, with travelling constantly ever since she got out of bed this morning – but it's better than procrastinating all day, she supposes... The doppelganger conjures up an image of Klaus lying beside her in his beautiful bedroom with nothing but a bed sheet as coverage, and suddenly she is disagreeing with her previous thoughts: she doesn't like today at all.

Instead of going in to the station to find her sister, Evelyn decides that she is going to wait her out. She doesn't really want to go back in there since she was so rude to the Sherriff earlier... It feels like she is trespassing, now. It takes a good while but Elena does finally emerge in a grey jogging suit. When her sister's eyes settle on hers Evie begins to walk over and Elena shoves her hands in to her pockets and breathes out unsteadily – she isn't sure how angry Evie is at her, yet. All she can do is pray that a– she is over it or b– she won't make her feel too guilty for willingly helping Esther.

"Ric wants us to find something that proves he's innocent," Evelyn murmurs quietly, almost to herself. If Evelyn wasn't glaring at Elena, right now, then she would believe that Evie was merely sulking. A small stab of guilt hits a nerve or two but Elena just nods and chooses to ignore it.

"Alright, I'll get changed and we'll start." She smiles sheepishly and bites her lower lip, "Any chance that you'll drive me home?"

Evie sighs exaggeratedly, "Fine, but only because I need your help. I'm still pissed at you."

"Sorry," Elena mumbles guiltily before following Evelyn to her car. She knows that one word will not cover what she has done but it is all she can say, for the time being. At this point just knowing that Evie is still speaking to her is a gift, although she cannot help but feel slightly jealous of Klaus – when he does something terrible then she forgives him so easily, but when Elena does something just a little out of hand then Evie's temper flares.

Elena is starting to believe that the bad guys _always_ win.

Eyes scrutinize the girls as they begin to walk side-by-side to Evelyn's (but technically Damon's) black Ferrari. This is the first time that they have really noticed unknown people's reactions to just how similar the pair of them are... A child is tugging at her mother's sleeve and pointing at the 'two pretty girls who look _exactly_ the same', and one elderly woman has removed her glasses and is rubbing her eyes – it seems as though she is testing her eyes as to whether or not she is seeing double as she looks back at them with confused, narrowed eyes once more. Evelyn is beginning to get hungry, so she decides a joke is in order.

"The next person to look at us for longer than five seconds is going to be lunch," She murmurs under her breath, just loud enough for Elena to hear. The human of the twins does not find this joke amusing at all so she nudges Evie with her elbow, momentarily glares at her and then climbs in to the passenger side of the sleek black car. Evelyn's chocolate eyes watch her sister's reaction in amusement before she climbs in to the driver's seat.

"So, where are we going to start?" Elena asks, watching as Evie starts the car up. The vampire doesn't bother to look at Elena as she speaks. Instead, she pretends to be immersed in the sudden art of driving.

"I thought maybe you'd figure that one out. I've not exactly had the greatest tour of Mystic Falls," She frowns, "In fact I _still_ don't know how big it is."

"Well..." Elena takes time to think about where to begin their search. They could always try Ric's apartment, but neither of them have the key. It is probably back at the house, but she wouldn't know where to _begin_ looking for it. _Maybe_ they should start from where it all began... "Maybe we should start with Meredith." Evelyn purses her lips as if to consider this, and then nods.

"Yeah, this all started with psycho bitch. Let's go say hi."

...

Klaus is getting tired of searching, but he presses on despite his boredom. The hybrid has just finished 'questioning' an 'old friend' from the past. He walks out of the store the man _had_ owned and continues forward, heading towards the place that he was supposed to be meeting Finn. Klaus is walking down the packed street, blending in to the crowd, as something catches his eye... On the corner of this particular street is a unique, antique jewellery store. Klaus has always had a keen interest in the rocks that can be taken from the earth and moulded in to magnificent objects. To him, jewels are as much of an art as his paintings back home. He contemplates ignoring the place, but the gold and/or silver circlets and jewels are just too beautiful to pass. Instead of heading off to find his brother, he takes a detour in to the place.

A bell chimes as he pushes the door open and soft, orchestral music fills his ears along with that certain dusty scent that antique stores almost always have. The store is very small and the rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches are all packed so tightly that he feels as though he has just walked in to a glittering room. He doesn't notice the woman behind the counter until she clears her throat and smiles with a set of papery lips; she has thin, grey hair that falls to her shoulders in a perfect line and old, wizened eyes.

"Good morning, young man," She greets him, "May I help you at all?"

"Hmm..." Klaus mumbles as he casts his eyes around again, "Not at the moment... I don't think so. I was just looking."

"Alright," She nods, "Well, if you want to purchase anything then let me know."

"Thanks," He replies curtly before turning back to the gems. As his eyes scan the various pieces of jewellery he finds himself asking what brought him in here... Yes, the jewellery is glorious, but isn't finding Finn a lot more important than gazing at some pretty stones? He rolls his eyes at his own incompetence and turns to leave.

And then he sees it.

He sharply turns his head back in the direction of the ring that had caught the corner of his eyes and, when he gets a good look at it, they widen slightly. The silver circlet is no ordinary engagement ring – this particular ring is designed as a circle of ivy and delicate flowers that have all been dotted with diamonds rather than colour. He finds one thought crossing through his mind as he admires the ring – _I want to draw that_.

"Excuse me," He turns to the woman who smiles eagerly – she must not get many sales, what with the financial circumstances as of late, "I have seen a ring I quite like. Please may I take a closer look?"

"Of course," The woman shuffles through some drawers behind her counter before coming to stand beside Klaus. He allows the woman to slide the glass door open and then points out the ring – she hands it over to him and he takes a closer look. The more he looks at it the more he loves it; _it is stunning_.

"Yes, I'll have this," He nods before handing the ring to the woman. She clasps the white box shut and then slowly shuffles over to the counter again. The ring costs 1,500 dollars but when you have all the money in the world that is not a problem. He could've just stolen it but, for some odd reason, he felt the need to buy it... It's the same feeling that had him coming in to the store in the first place.

"I am sure that she will love it," The woman sighs as she admires the ring one last time, "Any fiancée would be lucky to receive a ring like this."

Realization dawns on Klaus and, oddly enough, nervousness twists his stomach in to a knot. But, on the outside, he just smiles graciously.

"I hope she does."

...

"Where _is_ she?" Evelyn sighs exasperatedly, disrupting Elena from her trance-like state. The human doppelganger inhales deeply and, when she exhales, she shrugs.

"She'll be here soon enough – the receptionist said that she is due in to work round about now."

"Well she better hurry up because I don't want to wait here all day."

"Shut up."

They continue to remain silent, after that. Evelyn resumes her pacing and Elena listens out for any sign of a car. After ten more minutes of waiting a car enters the parking lot; both girls peer around and see that the driver is indeed Meredith Fell. The Doctor doesn't see them at first – not even when she parks her car besides Evelyn's borrowed Ferrari. Once the car has come to a stop and the thrumming of the engine comes to a halt, Meredith climbs out of her car and starts walking towards the hospital, adjusting her handbag on her shoulder as she does so. Evelyn takes the opportunity to use her vampire speed and, with a jolt and a scream stuck in her throat, Meredith comes to a standstill. She quickly recovers when she realizes that it is the cocky and somewhat arrogant doppelganger twin.

"I'm due in surgery, whatever case you're going to make for Alaric make it quick."

Evelyn narrows her eyes at the woman in front of her. She doesn't appreciate being spoken to with such an irritating disregard, "We don't have to make a case because he didn't _do_ anything." Meredith scoffs at that.

"How do you know? Sure, he takes care of you, but do you really know _anything_ about him?" At this, Elena walks over to stand beside Evelyn and glares at Meredith in annoyance.

"I've known Ric for a long time now so yes, I know enough!"

"Let me tell you what _I_ know; He was arrested for fighting _four times_ before the age of 21, when he was at Duke his future wife, Isobel, filed a _restraining order_ against him. _Twice_. Although, then she married him so I guess that says more about _her_..." Meredith trails off with a sarcastic and mocking twinge to her voice that sends a hot anger through Evelyn's bloodstream. Yes, she hated her mother, but that doesn't mean she won't defend her.

"Watch your mouth, psycho. That is my _Mom_ that you're talking about!" She almost goes to grab the woman by the throat but she thinks better of it. Instead she just scoffs and shakes her head, "Elena she's _clearly_ making all of this up." Meredith meets Elena's uncertain eyes with a disbelieving look in her own.

"Am I? How would you know? You took pity on a borderline alcoholic vampire hunter and you never even thought to look any deeper!"

"How could you do this to him?" Elena asks in shock, "He didn't _kill_ anyone and you _know_ it!"

"You date vampires," She says to Elena and then looks at Evie, "And you _are_ a vampire..." Meredith shakes her head in an almost piteous manner, "It shouldn't come as a shock to learn that your guardian is a murderer."

Evelyn and Elena stand in the spot they have both frozen in as they watch the Doctor walk towards the hospital. Although temperature is no longer a bother to Evelyn, she feels an odd chill passing through her body... She hates to admit it, but Meredith does have a point. She swears that the whole twin telepathy thought from earlier must be true because, as she opens her mouth to speak, Elena cuts her off.

"Don't even _say_ it. We're going to her apartment – I'm going to _prove_ that Alaric is innocent, alright?"

Evie isn't so sure anymore, but she trusts Elena... Well, when it comes to Ric, anyway.

"Fine, let's just go."

...

Evelyn makes it to Meredith's apartment before Elena, who has gone to pick Matt up, so she proceeds to try and pick the lock until they get here. She has never really tried to do this so it doesn't prove to be easy... Especially when she can't get her hand past the door knob for the invisible wall that blocks her from entering the stupid apartment without an invitation. _How inconvenient_, she thinks bitterly before she just gives up. Instead, she presses her back to the wall besides the green front door and slides down it until she is sat on the ground. The vampire pulls her cell phone out of her pocket and twists it around in her hand – a sign that she is bored. Her thoughts begin to go astray as she sits waiting for her sister and her friend in silence. She finds herself thinking about last night's white oak discovery... This leads to thinking about Rebekah and her mission.

After a minute of thinking it over, Evelyn texts Rebekah to ask her if she has any news on the white oak tree. Just as she has hit the _send_ button she hears Matt and Elena's voices floating up the staircase; she quickly puts her phone away and inhales unevenly. Elena would hate to know that Evelyn was keeping something as important as this from her... But it is for the best. For Klaus' sake. Elena has done the same. She would understand. She'd do this for Stefan.

These somewhat factual thoughts do not make Evelyn feel any less hypocritical, though.

"Hey," Matt greets Evie as he ascends the staircase first. Evelyn forces a smile on to her lips and stands from her seated position.

"Hey, Matt. I hope you're good at lock picking 'cause I'm hopeless." Matt chuckles at this and reaches in to his jean pockets – when he pulls out a lock picking set Evelyn smirks and gestures to the door, "Well then, get to work."

"Hi Evie," Elena murmurs as Matt gets to work on the lock. Evie looks away from the screw driver and at her sister with an almost timid expression. She is sure that Elena notices her unease, but she doesn't say anything about it.

"Hey."

Matt seems to be a pro at lock picking, which Evelyn continuously makes fun of him for. After just two minutes of waiting the door falls open – the trio all grin at each other in mischievous success as Matt does the honour of entering first.

"Wow, nice job," Elena compliments him with a grin. She looks around the darkened room until she finds the light switch – when she turns it on they are met with a green-walled apartment. Matt admires the room with a small sense of disgust – it's pretty ugly.

"Breaking and entering _sucks_ when you're a vampire," Evie mumbles as she watches the pair of humans look around. She wants to be in there helping them... She feels useless, right now.

"I am presuming that's why _I_ was called?" Matt looks to Elena for confirmation; the human doppelganger grins.

"I needed someone to help me out," She replies.

"Plus we needed a lock picker," Evie smirks at Matt who just rolls his eyes.

"Let's add this to the list of life favours you owe me," He chuckles before walking in to Meredith's very small kitchen.

"Alright, enough joking around. I'll stand look out... I don't know how much longer psycho bitch has left picking people apart so you'll have to be quick. Just see what you can find and let's get out of here," Elena nods and then closes the front door on Evelyn. Once she has been locked out of the place Evie returns to her seat on the floor and listens in to her sister and Matt's conversation.

"_Ok... Hmm, don't you think the Police already combed through this place? She handed over everything she already had," Matt murmurs._

"_Yeah," Elena sighs, "I'm looking for the evidence that she _didn't_ hand over."_

"_Are you sure that it's her who we should be investigating?" Matt asks with uncertainty. This elicits another sigh from Elena, although this one is full of exasperation._

"_I know him, Matt... He's innocent. And I know that Meredith Fell is a founding family..."_

Evelyn smirks, _"_Well done, sis. I'm so glad that you finally figured that one out!" She calls from outside. She hears Matt's chuckle and laughs herself.

"_Not helpful, Evie," _The jock says despite his own amusement. Elena ignores Evie's sarcastic remark as she casts her eyes on to what she presumes is Meredith's closet.

"_Which means..._" Evie hears the sound of a door being opened and someone knocking on wood. When the knocking becomes hollow the vampire knows that Elena and Matt have found something. _"Skeletons in the closet, just like a true founder." _Evelyn listens as they presumably open the hidden compartment; Evelyn pouts as she speaks up once more.

"Fill me in, guys! Standing guard is boring!"

"_We will later,_" Elena replies before shifting through something. It sounds like paper, but Evie is not one-hundred percent sure. "_Brian Walters, Bill Forbes..."_

"_Alaric Saltzman,"_ Matt mutters in shock.

"_Oh_ _my god, she's got _everything_ on him... Medical records, old court documents..._"

"_What's this?" _Before Evie can ask what is going on Elena replies.

"_An old Gilbert journal."_

"_Why is one of your old family journals in her closet?"_

"_I don't..." _Elena exhales as she tries to figure that out for herself_, "I don't know."_

There is a moment of silence – which irritates an impatient, out-of-the-loop Evelyn but, before she can demand an explanation of what they have already found, Matt finds something else.

"_Didn't you say the Medical examiners time of death was between one and three a.m.?_"

"_Yeah, why?"_

"_Because the county corners office say that's _wrong_."_

Evie scoffs in disbelief as she opens her mouth to say _I told you that she is a psycho_, but the sound of footsteps on the stairs silence her. Meredith's voice floats up from the bottom of the staircase as she speaks to someone who is not there; she must be on the phone. "Oh shit, she's coming!"

"_Are you _kidding_ me?" _Elena hisses, irritated at her sister's lack of 'look out' skills.

"Stay hidden!" The vampire looks around – desperately searching for a hideout – and smiles as she sees a door with the words 'store cupboard' engraved on to it. She quickly rushes in to the darkened room and shuts the door behind herself, exhaling in relief as she escapes undiscovered. Meredith's footfalls become louder and her voice clearer until the door to her apartment opens. Evie inhales sharply and holds her breath as she listens to the Doctor clatter around in her apartment – when her front door opens and closes again she finds momentary relief, but when she hears quieter footsteps that are still in the apartment she swallows in fear.

The closet door opens and Evie knows there is absolutely _nothing _that she can do – Matt and Elena have been caught. She rushes out of the apartment building and back to the Mikaelson home before she can get caught... She'll speak to Elena later; hopefully they won't be too mad at her for bailing on them.

...

"_Half of my hearts got a grip on the situation, half of my heart takes time. Half of my hearts got the right mind to tell you that I can't keep loving you.  
>Down the road, later on, you will hate that I never gave more to you than half of my heart, but I can't stop loving you. I can't stop loving you with half of my heart."<em>

The hybrid exhales deeply as he settles in to his car for the night. He has not had much of a break since going to that jewellery store, so he is pretty knackered, now. He is still stressed over whether or not he will be able to find Finn and _Esther_ before they can kill the entire vampire race off... But he knows that he has no chance of finding them tonight. With the radio playing quietly in the background, the tired hybrid pulls the white suede box from his pocket and sets it on the dashboard before grabbing his notepad and pencil from the back seat of the car. He begins to sketch the intricate stems that make up the circlet as he thinks back to the time he bought the ring.

It was under the label _engagement rings_, which instantly put that elder lady under the impression that he was going to ask someone to marry him... His sketching hand pauses as he glances up at the silver floral ring. The diamonds are glistening underneath the pale light of the moon and he unintentionally imagines what it would look like on Evelyn's hand... How the silver would contrast gloriously to the olive glow of her skin, how it would twist so daintily around her flawless finger... Beautiful. The ring is almost as beautiful as her.

Marriage has _never_ crossed Klaus' mind throughout his time as a vampire - not even with admitting his love to Evie... So why now? These thoughts seem to have crept up on him much too quickly to make any sense of them, but now that they have started it seems that he cannot stop them. He finds himself just stopping and staring at the ring as he tries to draw it – thinking about how he could ask Evelyn to be his bride. He could take her back to that pizzeria in Chicago, or maybe he could take her back to the place where they shared their first kiss... He could do it in the High School parking lot; where he had told her that he loved her for the first time. He could do it after a passionate session under the sheets; he could take her on vacation to some faraway place... The possibilities are endless and they all make his head spin.

_I'm such a romantic old fool_, he chuckles to himself before giving up on the drawing. He places the half-finished sketch in to the back of the car and takes the box in his hand. Somewhere between admiring the ring and thinking about Evelyn he falls asleep – the little white box is still gently clutched in his hand as he fades in to a blissful unconsciousness.

"_Half of my hearts got a real good imagination, half of my hearts got you. Half of my hearts got the right mind to tell you that half of my heart won't do.  
>Half of my heart is a shot gun wedding to a bride with a paper ring, and half of my heart is the part of a man who's never truly loved anything."<em>

...

Evie sighs as she finally makes it back to the Mikaelson mansion. Upon entering the house, she finds the fireplace lit and a lone Original sat on the couch in a silk nightgown and some slippers. Rebekah sits gazing in to the fireplace with her iPhone on her lap and a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. Her eyes, a replica of Klaus', turn from the fireplace and meet her own. A smile graces her face when Evie walks in.

"Any luck?" The doppelganger asks as she throws her back on to the other couch and removes her leather jacket. Rebekah grimaces and shakes her head.

"Not a bit of it, although I have found out that the Salvatores owned all of the trees... I'll just have to find a way to get the information out of them without being too obvious," She replies. "Sorry about not replying to your text, by the way. My stupid phone stopped working."

"Does it have any credit left?" Evelyn smirks as she walks over and holds out her hand. Rebekah shrugs and hands her phone over, allowing Evelyn to check. When she finds that the balance is $0.00 she chuckles, "Nope. Looks like Klaus forgot to get you some... Or teach you _how_ to get some."

"Idiot," She mumbles in irritation and then takes a sip from her mug, "Everyone around here is so idiotic. Especially the Salvatores. Those boys irritate me – why can't they just let me look through their library and find the whereabouts of that stupid tree?"

"If I torture Stefan you can knock Damon out and snoop around?" Evie offers whilst taking a seat besides Rebekah.

"That wouldn't go down well with your sister," The blonde comments.

"Yeah, well, maybe she shouldn't have kept my boyfriends potential death from me," Evelyn mumbles passively.

"I can't believe any of this, you know?"

"Any of what?" Evelyn asks.

"My brother's relationship with you... I thought he was stupid for falling for you, at first. I thought that it was because of Tatia... But you are not alike what-so-ever... She was a cheap whore, but you... You have morals and standards – you may have her biting and sarcastic sense of humour, but you truly care about my brother and his well being... In fact, you may be the only doppelganger I've met who has refused to fall for another brother's charms... I heard that Elijah _and_ Kol were quite taken with you."

"They are hot, I'll admit _that_, and if I wasn't with Klaus... I don't know... But I am, and I could never even _consider_ going against him like that. Tatia was wrong to do it, Katherine was wrong to do it, Elena is wrong to do it... I just can't. Especially because it's supposed to be in my blood to," She smirks, "I'm just too damn stubborn."

"Good, because I don't think our family needs any more factors against keeping it together. It's bad enough as it is," Despite the dark underlying tone of that sentence, Rebekah smirks.

"I'm sorry about this... All of it. I wish I could do something..."

"Thanks, but there isn't anything you could do. These problems have existed hundreds of years before your birth... But thank you for caring," Rebekah's smirk becomes a sincere smile as she takes another drink of her hot chocolate.

"Rebekah, I'm with Klaus and I can assure you that I'll _always_ be with him... That makes you just as much my family as you are his. You don't need to thank me for caring... I'm pissed at you for trying to kill Elena, but you're my sister too."

"Thank you for that, Evie," Rebekah gives Evelyn a one-armed hug of appreciation which makes Evelyn smile. Bekah is so lonely – it makes her happy to have the Original realize that she is cared about. Once Rebekah pulls away, though, she goes uncertain again. She clears her throat and then stands up, "Well, I'm going to bed. Are you staying here or going to the Gilberts?"

"I think I'll stay here..." Evie shrugs, "Maybe Klaus will return during the night."

"I doubt that – I don't think he has found Finn, yet," She sighs unhappily. Evelyn can make out the worried glint in her friends eyes. She left out the part where she doesn't really want to leave Rebekah on her own so she just shrugs.

"Oh well. I'll stay anyway... Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Evelyn," Rebekah murmurs before heading to bed. Once the Original has left Evelyn lies down on the couch and gazes in to the dancing flames of the fire. She doesn't want to sleep upstairs when Klaus isn't here.

A queen-sized bed is cold and lonely when there's only one person around to sleep in it.

...

_A/N P.s. How heartbreaking was this weeks episode? :'(_


	24. Break On Through

_A/N: I just want to say a quick thanks to everyone who left lovely reviews about the story. They really reassured me. Now, without further ado, the next chapter is here! Enjoy! :)_

_..._

"_Really?_" Evie mumbles tiredly in feigned disbelief as she rolls her neck in a circle; massaging out the tension from her hours of sleep. "Stefan fed off a human and Damon let him... I'm _so shocked_."

"_You're not helping, Evie!_" Elena snaps from the end of the phone line, "_He just stood there – he didn't do anything to stop him! Stefan could've _killed _her_!"

Evie massages her temples as she listens to Elena's rant, "Alright, I can see why you're pissed, but I can't imagine Damon letting Stefan binge eat for the hell of it. I talked to Damon a few days ago and he was going on about Stefan needing to learn control – he _has_ been trying to quit cold turkey... Maybe this is Damon trying to help him out?" Although she is slightly doubtful herself, this theory does make sense... If she goes off of Damon's words which, she has to admit, are not _always_ trustworthy. Evie hears Elena sigh exasperatedly as she considers this herself.

"_I don't know, it sounds a little... Unrealistic_."

"Enough about Stefan," Evie sighs, "I called to check up on Ric; how did telling me about his alter-ego lead on to Stefan biting someone - how is _Alaric_?"

"_He seems to be ok, for now._" Elena sighs, "_Like I said, the ring can drive him mad so maybe... I don't know, maybe it takes a while to send them over the edge? It's just speculation right now, but he is going in for the CT scan in about ten minutes. I'll have to turn my cell off when I get back in to the hospital._"

"Okay, well, text me with the results," Evie heads in to Klaus' walk-in wardrobe and shifts through the clothes that she brought over here for when she stays over, "Where is Ric now?"

"_He's with Meredith; she's talking him through the whole CT procedure. She said it'd be better to talk to him alone and she'll explain it all to me as the scan takes place," _Elena explains,_ "You know what, when the whole thing is over I'll just call you again. I'll have more information then_."

"Yeah, alright. I have to go anyway – I need to get dressed." Evie replies distractedly, holding up a midnight blue t-shirt to see if it matches the white jeans that she has already got in to, "I'll talk to you later."

"_Bye_," The phone line clicks and Elena is gone. Evie slips her phone in to her jean pockets and then pulls on her t-shirt. Afterwards she braids her hair in to a somewhat messy side plait and then applies a small amount of make-up... And then there is nothing left to distract herself with. She sighs and falls back on to Klaus' bed, looking up at the stolen love letters above the mahogany headboard of his bed. She wishes that he was here... She misses him. She always does when he is away, but her loneliness has been heightened now that she is a vampire.

_What to do, what to do..._ Evelyn thinks about the goings on in Mystic Falls that _don't _involve psycho-murderers or the supernatural... Hmm, Wickery Bridge is being restored? She doesn't find anything particularly interesting about that, though. Her aunt and uncle died going over that bridge... She'd rather not visit it, even if she didn't ever meet them properly. She wonders what life would've been like if her Father had never taken her from her surrogate parents... Would she have been more like Elena? Less sarcastic? Would she have ended up falling for Damon whilst Elena swooned over Stefan? She has never considered what life would be like if they hadn't been split at birth, but now she has she almost envies Elena's life. She had Jeremy and her surrogate, loving parents... All Evie had were her loving-but-mysterious Father, a bitch of a mother and no siblings to spend her time with.

No wonder she's the bitter twin.

_Maybe I have more in common with Damon than I thought_. It disgusts her, but it's the truth. Maybe they are so alike that neither of them can enjoy the company of the other. It's definitely something to consider, but Evie doesn't feel too 'nostalgic' for now. Instead of wallowing in thoughts that will _surely_ sink her in to depression she—

Evelyn's pocket begins to vibrate. She sighs before tugging her iPhone out and glancing at the screen. _Unknown Number_... She has never been one to talk to unknown numbers, so she just hangs up and then throws her phone on to her bed. Deciding that she is hungry, the vampire heads down in to the kitchen, grabs a blood bag from the freezer and drinks it cold. Then she decides to make a coffee to warm her corpse of a body up... And then nothing. She is still alone. Still bored. Still doesn't know where Klaus is, and now Rebekah seems to have vanished too.

She could go to the hospital... But, as much as Evie is worried about Alaric, she is scared that Klaus will come back and she won't be here. She finds herself thinking negatively about her absent boyfriend – without him around she is disorientated and... _Different. _She feels so weak. If Klaus ever decides to leave her then how the hell is she going to cope for an eternity? She shakes her head and ascends the stairs to go back to his room and get her phone from his bed... And, when she picks it up, she has had seven missed calls from that stupid unknown number. Her anger begins to pique as she glowers at the list indicating what time and date the stupid anonymous caller tried to contact her and, when her cell rings again, she decides to give in and pick it up.

"Hello?" She makes the word sound more like a question, hiding her irritation as she does so – if it is someone important then she doesn't want to get off on the wrong foot.

"_Ah, so it _is_ you_!" The voice on the other end of the line is familiar, but she cannot put a face to it...

"I know you," She murmurs, "But I can't remember who you are..."

"_Hmph, well all the other women seem to remember!_" The man scoffs in disbelief, "_I say, I thought I'd left my mark, whisking you off of your feet like I did. I thought you liked me._"

Evelyn sighs, allowing her irritation to seep in to her voice as she does so, "Look, did you call for anything in particular, Mr Anonymous."

"_God,_" The man chuckles, "_You're still fascinating, even over the phone._" That rings an alarm bell in Evie's head, but she still doesn't hang up.

"Who _are_ you?" She demands sternly. A sigh travels through the phone line, and then the man speaks up again.

"_Alright, I'll give you a clue. I'm the man who fancies you, not the girl that everyone else sees in you._"

Evie doesn't know what to be the most appalled at – whether or not she feels her dead heart flutter in realization or that she knows exactly who the mysterious caller is from that _one_ _sentence_.

"Hi Kol," Her voice becomes monotonous as she speaks, "What do you want?"

"_To chat, of course..._" She can almost hear his sarcastic smirk, "_I miss you, love._"

"No, just shut up now!" She snaps, "Leave me alone... How did you get my number, anyway?"

"_I know people_," He replies as if that is completely obvious.

"Well, delete my number 'cause I'm blocking yours. Goodbye, Kol," She quickly hangs up. The unsuspecting doppelganger glowers at the wooden floorboards in Klaus' room as she tries to subdue her anger at that irritating brother of his. At least Elijah has been gracious enough to stop with his flirtatious attempts, but Kol... Kol has just snuck up on her _again_! It's not that she doesn't like Kol as a friend; they got on pretty well after the ball had finished, but... It's just his flirtatious personality. Her body reacts too oddly and... And she doesn't want to be like the others. She won't _let_ herself be like the others.

_**Unknown Number  
><strong>__Come on, Evelyn. I thought we were friends? The pillow fighting, the joking, the drinking? Remember those days?_

Evelyn scoffs; she cannot help but give in yet again and reply to him, though.

_**Evelyn Gilbert  
><strong>__I remember but I don't want to. Kol, just leave me alone alright?_

She remains strewn across Klaus' bed for ten more minutes and finally smiles slightly as she realizes Kol will not send her another response. She seems to carry out her next actions unwillingly – going to the unknown caller's number and then adding it under the name _Kol Mikaelson _to her cell phone contact list. _It is just in case of an emergency_, she tells herself before placing the cell phone in to her pocket. After a few more minutes of silence and contemplation, she decides to do her homework... Crazy, considering she hardly shows up at school, but she does it anyway.

It is odd... Without Klaus here, Evelyn feels like she isn't herself... She didn't realize how dependent she had become until she discovered that he had left, yesterday. _How pathetic and naive_, she tells herself... But it doesn't change how she feels. Despite feeling like she has used her cell enough today, she pulls it out to call Klaus, but as she goes to her contact list Elena's name appears on screen. _This happens a lot_, she thinks to herself before answering the call.

"How'd it go?" She asks.

"_There's no sign of any tumours or anything,"_ Elena sighs, "_That's good but it still leaves the whole 'going crazy' thing unanswered_."

"We'll figure out what's up soon enough," Evelyn comforts, "What're you doing now?"

"_I'm going home and I think Damon's taking Ric and Meredith to the Wickery Bridge thing._" Elena replies, "_Why don't you come over to the house?_"

Evelyn stares at the bedroom door and sighs – torn between going home and waiting for Klaus... "I don't know," She mumbles, "Klaus might come back..."

"_Evie_," Elena sighs exasperatedly, "_Klaus will call you if you're not home. Come on, you're so not the kind of girl to be waiting around like some lost puppy... Besides, if you're here you may be able to help us._"

"But what if Ric turns up? What if his alter vampire-killing ego makes an appearance?" She asks, biting down on her lower lip nervously, "He'll kill me."

"_We won't let that happen. Meredith is going to be with him wherever he goes and she has tranquilizers. Anyway, Ric isn't even wearing his ring anymore... Come on, Evie. Please?_"

"Alright, alright," She sighs, "I'll meet you there."

"_Great! See you at the house!_"

_Stupid sister_, Evie thinks to herself as she hangs up... _Always trying to stop me from paying any attention to Klaus._ She decides to grab her leather jacket and go just to ask Elena why she's playing the role of little Miss Perfect when she loves the vampire that turned her.

She knows she won't actually do it, but at least she has a distraction.

...

"Don't you think it's about time you left Evie alone?" Damon asks charmingly as Elena hangs up. The doppelganger's chocolate eyes lift from her cell phone to meet his as a confused grimace twists her face.

"What do you mean? She's my sister," Elena reminds him, "What do you want me to do – stop talking to her and leave her to mope over the dick that's hell bent on using me as a blood bag? He's gone and Rebekah's at Wickery Bridge... I just don't want her to be alone."

"I wasn't talking about her inward desiccation at her sweet little hybrid's disappearance – I'm talking about your judge-iness."

"What?" Elena's temper flares at that, "I still don't get what you're talking about."

Damon rolls his eyes, "Come _on_, Elena. I've been watching it for weeks now! Yeah, I get that it's 'wrong' to fall for the bad guy and all but you may want to lay off – remember that my baby bro _was_ the one to turn her."

That hits a nerve. Elena's blood is boiling at that; she wants to slap that stupid smirk right off of Damon's face... But it's only because he's right. She sighs agitatedly and then pulls Ric's car keys out of her pocket.

"I'm going to wait in the car," She mumbles with an expression that screams 'leave me alone'.

"Just because I proved you wrong," Damon's smirk goes from cocky to smug. Before Elena can reply he has already gone over to Ric. She watches the older Salvatore as he mutters something to Alaric and then growls under her breath in annoyance – _who is Damon to judge me? _She thinks; _he let Stefan feed on an innocent human last night. _With that thought she storms out of the hospital – when Damon sees that she is leaving he quickly follows suit.

He's not finished yet.

...

Evelyn doesn't appreciate Elena playing on her pride so that she'll leave the Mikaelsons home. She doesn't appreciate having to come to the Salvatore Boarding House to pick up some book for said sister, either, but she's here now so she may as well get it over with... She pushes the large oak door open and listens intently; Evie doesn't feel like running in to Stefan today. When she finds the house to be void, she walks straight through to the parlour and looks around. Elena had said that the book belonged to their ancestor, Samantha Gilbert... But how is she supposed to know which book that is?

The vampire begins by checking the bookshelves... But all of these ancient-looking books seem to be too dust-covered to have been looked at recently, and she is sure that Damon had said Stefan had been reading bits of it. She checks the liquor stand, the couches, the side tables and the coffee table... But the book is nowhere to be found. With a loud sigh she heads to the other side of the room and begins to look there.

_Milling records_... Evelyn frowns slightly at the red, dust-covered books that all look exactly alike... Aside from the dates, of course; out of plain curiosity she picks one up – the number on the spine of the book reads _1862_. The pages are yellowing but she can make out the curvaceous, joined-up writing easily – _Lockwood Horse Sheds_... Evelyn cannot understand much of what has been wrote down because she is no lumber expert, but from what she has read and understood she can tell that a large amount of red oak trees were sold to the Lockwood's in 1862.

_Oh my god_...

This is what Rebekah had wanted to look at! Evelyn could kick herself for being so stupid – this is her chance to find the whereabouts of the White Oak Tree! She is too afraid to call Rebekah because a Salvatore could return at any minute, so she quickly texts her.

_**Evelyn Gilbert  
><strong>__I'm alone at the boarding house. What year do you think the white oak tree was cut down? I'm going to find out where it is._

Evelyn slips the _1862_ milling record back in to place and then proceeds to look for the book on Samantha Gilbert as she waits for a reply. She checks the desk (which is packed with books) and smiles triumphantly as she finds what appears as a greenish photo album with the name _Samantha Gilbert_ on the front underneath a stack of Bronte books. She tucks said book under her arm and then goes over to her cell.

_**Rebekah Mikaelson  
><strong>__1912, I'm fairly sure of it. Kol told me that a lot of the forest had been cut down at that point to re-build collapsed houses. If not then try the later books – it has to be there somewhere._

Evelyn immediately skims through the books until she finds the one labelled _1912_; once it is in her hands she opens it up and flicks through each page, being careful to not miss any information out. Not a hell of a lot of wood was sold that year so she had expected it to be easy to find... But she is having trouble with it. The logs are all kept based on the type of tree, what month it was sold, what date it was sold and who it was sold too – the confusing information is making her head hurt. She cannot find it anywhere.

Footsteps. Footsteps are getting closer and Evie still hasn't found the White Oak's whereabouts. _No_, she panics. She has to find it – she has to save the Originals. Impulsively, Evelyn tucks the milling record in to Samantha Gilbert's book and then heads towards the door to meet whatever Salvatore has decided to show up.

_Great. Stefan_.

"What're you doing here?" He asks with narrowed, suspicious eyes.

Evelyn puts on an innocent facade as she holds up Samantha Gilbert's book. "I was picking this up for Elena; she wants to see if they can find anything that might help Alaric."

"She probably won't want to read that," Stefan murmurs. Evelyn is quite surprised to see his expression soften in concern... Whether it is for Elena or herself she doesn't know. Is it because he is sorry for what he did to her? To her sister? "Samantha Gilbert was committed to an insane asylum. She tried to give herself a lobotomy with a knitting needle and bled to death on the floor of her cell..." Evelyn gasps at the gruesome image that consumes her mind as Stefan continues, "If the same thing is happening to Alaric then there's nothing you can do."

"Well..." Evie inhales deeply and clenches her jaw – partly in determination and partly to hold back the terrified sob threatening to expose itself, "If that's true at least we will have tried." She keeps eye contact with him for a moment and Stefan nods as if approving her determination. Evelyn wants to snap at him that she wasn't looking for approval, but if she gets in to any altercations with Stefan then she may lose the book... _Both_ of the books. Without another word, Evelyn grits her teeth, clenches the books to her bosom and then leaves the Salvatore Boarding House before Stefan can start any more conversations with her.

...

"Anyone home?" Evelyn chimes as she slips the milling record in to her leather jacket and keeps it held close to her side.

"We're in here!" Alaric calls, which causes Evelyn to rush in to the kitchen. He is sat at the dining table with police records scattered all around him and a tired, dazed expression on his face. She places the Samantha Gilbert book down and quickly wraps her arms around him, making sure to manoeuvre them so that the book remains inside her jacket.

"Are you okay?" She asks as she holds him close. Alaric chuckles sleepily as he lazily wraps an arm around her waist.

"I'm fine, Evelyn. Don't worry."

"You need to tell him to stop looking through that stuff," Meredith murmurs in monotone as she brings a bottle of whisky and a crystal glass to the table. The Doctors angry eyes meet Evie's, who suddenly feels awkward under her gaze.

"Okay, I was wrong to call you a psycho... _But_ you could've just explained everything to us instead of being all-"

"Enough," Alaric snaps, "What's done is done; there's no need to carry it on."

"Right," Evie nods, internally cursing Ric. Despite being wrong to accuse Meredith she still doesn't like her plainly because of how she talked about her dead mother, "So, where's that sister of mine?"

"Upstairs – she's on the phone to Caroline," Meredith murmurs.

"Ok," Evelyn nods before heading in to the kitchen. She can hear Alaric telling Meredith about killing her cousin so she chooses to stay out of the way... Button pressing is probably not the best thing to do right now so, instead of winding the Doctor up, the vampire heads over to the liquor cabinet, pulls out a bottle of scotch and then fills the bottom of a glass with the scorching amber liquid. As she watches it fill the glass she thinks back to the time when she wouldn't have dreamt of drinking – a time when she had been human. _Look at me now_, she smirks to herself, _Evelyn Gilbert – a raging alcoholic._.. _Well, it's better than being a blood-aholic, I suppose._

She still wishes that she had never become a vampire. As sombre as that thought is Evie cannot help but give in to it, sometimes. She'll never be able to do the things that humans are able to do... She'll never experience what it is like to grow up, get married, have kids or have a successful career. Instead she is stuck at eighteen forever – cursed in to a life of bloodlust and heightened emotions. It's _so very masochistic _to do so, but she begins to image what life would be like if she had met Klaus under different circumstances... She is sure that he is in at least his early twenties. If he was a human in her time then maybe he would have worked? Maybe they would have met in a nice, almost magical way and been as drawn to each other as they were in reality... Maybe they could have had a future – she could have introduced him to her Father, he would have disapproved as he _always_ did, but it wouldn't have stopped them. Maybe, after she had finished college, they could have settled down – they could have got married, bought a big house and had children...

If only that was what real life was truly like.

She shakes her head and forces her tears back in to place. She can never have that life so why should she torture herself with it? It's not hers, anymore... But it can be Elena's. As angry as her twin sister makes her Evelyn swore to herself that _this_ would never happen to her sister. She _will _grow old, get married and have children. She will live a long, human life for the both of them. Evelyn will make sure of that even if it _destroys_ her, because Elena is her sister and family come above all else... Even yourself. No one is better off without them and, if Elena became a vampire, Evelyn knows that Elena would let herself die in transition. She can't bear the thought of losing her twin sister when she only just got her back... Even if said twin is _beyond_ annoying at times.

"Hey," Elena pulls Evie out of her thoughts as she enters the kitchen with Samantha Gilbert's book under her arm, "Everything ok?"

"Yeah," Evie offers Elena a sad half smile as she subconsciously holds the book tighter to her side, "I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why not?" Elena jumps up on to the kitchen island and opens the book on her lap.

"Nightmares," Evie murmurs as she furrows her brow, "Very _weird_ nightmares..."

"I've been having them lately," Elena mumbles as she meets Evie's eyes, "What're yours about?"

"The past... I think," She replies as her eyes glaze over, "They are really vivid. Sometimes they are in the renaissance era and sometimes they are in the Viking era."

"Me too," Elena becomes more interested in the conversation, now. She closes Samantha's book and sets it aside, "Do you think we're witnessing memories?"

"Memories?" Evie mumbles dumbly.

"Well, Katherine was born during the fourteen or fifteen hundreds and... I don't really know much about the Original Petrova, but maybe she was a Viking."

"Her name was Tatia," Evie nods, "She was a Viking. Tatia had a child out of wedlock but every man in the village that is now Mystic Falls still wanted her hand in marriage." Evie smirks and looks up at the ceiling, "Thanks for the body, Tat!" Although the information surprises Elena she giggles despite herself. Evelyn comes out with some very inappropriate comments at times – most of these irritate the human doppelganger but the odd few make her laugh.

"Ok, so _Tatia_ was a Viking," Elena grins, "So maybe she's trying to contact us?"

"Nah," Evie nods, "I think that, if that was the case, she'd be able to contact us through Jeremy or Bonnie. Spirits can do that, right?"

"Jeremy can only see the ghosts of the people that he had a connection with. Like Anna – she was his ex girlfriend... And Vickie was, too."

"Oh, and if Tatia _had_ wanted to communicate with us she could've done it when the portal was opened," Evelyn realizes, which elicits a nod of agreement from Elena. The vampire sighs as she begins to tap her fingers against her scotch glass, "Then why? I know we're twins _and _doppelgangers, so it isn't too weird to share dreams, but why about our ancestors? Plus, Katherine's still alive-"

"She could be dead," Elena murmurs, "Who's to say someone hasn't killed her yet? She has a lot of haters."

"I like her," Evie defends.

"If you'd moved here a year ago then you'd have hated Katherine _and _Klaus," Elena replies in a matter-of-fact tone. This comment reminds Evelyn of what she had been thinking about earlier... About what life would've been like if she never left.

"What do you think it would have been like if Dad had never taken me from here?" Evelyn murmurs; her demeanour takes on an intensity that makes Elena feel slightly uncomfortable... She remembers the odd feeling that was always there – that certain feeling that something important was missing, but she had lived without it for so long that she didn't know what it was.

"I think... I think I'd be dead and you'd be a blood bag," Elena replies. She looks up from the ground and in to Evelyn to take in her reaction; the vampire tenses up and swallows a lump that has formed in her throat... As much as she wants Elena to leave it there she cannot force the words out of her mouth, "I think that Klaus would have eventually realized that people meddled with the curse. He would have killed me _or_ you in the ritual and used the other just like he wants to use me now. I think that whatever you wish had happened – like not being taken away from here – would have been nothing but trouble." Elena's eyes take on a sad, lonely tone as she stares intensely in to her sister's eyes, "But it would've been amazing to have known you my whole life, if we weren't cursed like this."

Evelyn places her glass down and pulls Elena down from the counter so fast that she leaves her human counterpart momentarily disorientated but, despite this, she wraps her arms around Evelyn and hugs her as tightly as she can. Evelyn remains gentle to ensure that she won't break her – her porcelain doll of a sister.

"Do you think Alaric will survive this?" Evelyn whispers questioningly.

"Bonnie said she has some herbs that could help him... We'll just have to wait and see," Elena replies in a surprisingly strong tone. In reality, she is more terrified of losing Ric than Evelyn is – it makes sense, she has known and lived with him much longer. But, despite not knowing Ric for a long period of time, Evelyn still looks up to him as a father figure. He is their step-father and, if they lose him, they will have no parents left at all... And even if Evie is a vampire she is only eighteen years old. The thought of having no parental figure left terrifies her – it reminds her of the weeks she had spent in Charlotte waiting for her Dad to come home despite knowing that he never would.

"Sometimes I get jealous of you," Evie admits, "I wish that it had been me that had been left here... I wish I had had a little brother to play with and two loving parents that adored me. I bet you miss it – I bet it was the easiest and greatest life anyone could have ever wished for."

Elena doesn't say anything at Evelyn's revelation. She just nods and holds back her tears... She misses those days, even if Evelyn wasn't a part of them.

...

Klaus is getting closer – he can feel it. It is odd how tied to your family you can become, especially when you're a vampire. Emotions are heightened, making your relationships either incredibly fallible or infallible... Certainly fallible, when it comes to Niklaus and Finn; but even so he can still _feel_ his presence. It comes with the power that one possesses once they become a creature of the night – like the need to drain a human dry of their blood or compel them to do your bidding... It's merely instinctual. Klaus has used this power for thousands of years to track his siblings down one-by-one... Taking their life away if they so much as thought to go back on their promise of always and forever – Finn had been the first to go against it, so Klaus took him down. Of course it wasn't an easy task; killing his big brother... But it had to be done whether his emotions got in the way or not.

He is still holding on to the engagement ring he bought yesterday... His mind is still wrapped around the short lived conversation between himself and the woman, and the strange feeling that just _told_ him to walk in to that store. He is now completely aware of the reasoning behind buying the ring but... But he is uncertain about proposing to Evelyn. Just the mere thought sounds completely preposterous; of course she will say no. Whether she loves him or not she is only eighteen years old – she has an eternity to live... Why would she stop at him?

_Because she knows that, if she even thinks about leaving, you'll kill her._

The hybrid swallows deeply and opens the car window to allow some air in to the suddenly _very_ suffocating atmosphere. Could he do that? He knows that, with his siblings, it wasn't as difficult... He could bring them back... But Evelyn? She is not an Original. He cannot just pop a silver dagger and a little bit of white oak ash in to her heart and re-animate her whenever he feels like it – she is a secondary vampire. One puncture to her heart with any wood and she'll be dead. He could always desiccate her, but the thought of putting her through such pain has his foot snapping down on the breaks so hard that the car ends up breaking down. Oh well, he's close enough to walk from here anyway. He starts walking along the side of the road, ignoring the odd looks he receives from humans that drive by.

He keeps his thoughts on nature, now. He won't think about Evelyn leaving him again because, the truth is, if she left... If she so much as _tried_ to leave... He doesn't know if he could let her go without a fight.

...

Her room at the Gilbert's home feels so... _Safe_. Although she is sure that Jenna and her Dad passed over to the other side, Evelyn cannot help feeling like they are in this room; that they are watching over her when she needs them the most. She slides the slightly rusted window open and perches on the windowsill, but she is not admiring nature. No, Evelyn is currently gazing down at the _1912 _milling record. She reaches a timid hand to the page she had bookmarked with a fold and begins slowly searching, again, but keeps her ears open for any approaching footsteps. After a moment she begins to become paranoid about one of the Salvatore brothers showing up at her window – which is stupid but, then again, that is exactly what paranoia makes you – so she walks over to the bed and sits on there.

It takes a while to find – she has almost given up when the words _White Oak _catch her eye. She smiles proudly and strokes the letters, and then flicks her eyes over to the whereabouts of the tree; a shocked gasp leaves her lips. There, in the same curvaceous writing, is the exact location of the White Oak wood that was originally a part of the second White Oak Tree...

_The Side of Wickery Bridge._

She knows that they will realize the disappearance of the milling record eventually, so her proud moment is _very_ short-lived. After taking a quick picture of the page on her phone she picks up the book, throws her legs over the windowsill and then drops, enjoying the moment of weightlessness before she lands on her feet. _Cars are overrated_, she tells herself before setting off in to the woods. _My legs are so much faster than that Ferrari_.

_This_ is the part of vampirism that she enjoys the most. The whipping of her hair as it is blown back by the speed of which she is travelling through the forest. Nature is beautiful and travelling through the woods like this reminds her of that... The woods remind her of Klaus; they did meet in them, after all. The moon is just beginning to rise, which casts a silvery glow to the trees around her. Evelyn inhales the scent of pine, clean air and dirt deeply whilst she steps around the vast amount of trees, roots and debris. The trees are just beginning to develop buds that will soon grow in to thousands of green leaves; this gives the place an deathly effect but she doesn't mind _too_ much... She can't complain, she's dead herself.

She almost misses the Boarding House. Evie cannot remember the last time she ran here... Or if she has _ever_ ran here. The doppelganger decides that the Salvatores really need to cut down some of the trees surrounding the place as she carefully makes her way towards the large building, listening in for any sounds... The sounds she hear make her wrinkle her nose in revulsion. _Charming_, she internally scoffs. _Hopefully they'll be too busy to hear me_. Slowly, she pushes the front door open; it creaks but she doubts that Damon and his lady friend will care too much. She remains as silent as possible as she rushes in to the parlour and sighs in relief as she makes it to the book case.

The relief came quick, but then the fear soon took its place. She bites back a scream as she is grabbed from behind. Evelyn is thrown to the ground, at first, and then a slender hand takes her by the throat. The book she had been trying to return falls to the ground somewhere as she is thrown around by the mysterious being like a rag doll. Shocked and disorientated, Evelyn looks up to find that she is pinned against the wall by an auburn-haired woman. Her lips are pulled back so that she can bare her teeth and her hazel eyes have turned black as she growls, just quietly enough for Damon to not hear anything.

"_Katherine_," She hisses, looking extremely angry, "What're you snooping around for?"

"M-My name is Evelyn," Evie splutters as she tries to inhale and exhale... Which is something that isn't working out too well; she doesn't necessarily need air but it is immensely uncomfortable and disorientating when she cannot breathe. It's one of the few pieces of humane normalities that all vampires cling on to, whether they've flipped the emotional switch or not. The unfamiliar woman's eyes return to normal, at that, but her face remains in a predatorial grimace as she examines the doppelganger in front of her.

"Where'd you come from?" She demands.

"Elena's twin," She coughs and grabs the woman's wrist with both hands, "Please let go of me." Since she asked nicely, the woman releases her grip on Evelyn's throat, but she doesn't back away to give her any space. From the strength that the woman just showed, Evie decides that it is probably useless to run. She regains her breath and then looks the woman up and down, "And who're you? I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm Sage," She replies, "An old friend of Damon Salvatore's."

"_Really_ old," Evie guesses aloud which elicits a nod from Sage. "How old, exactly?"

"It is rude to ask a woman her age," She replies snidely, but the smirk on her face tells Evelyn that she is retreating the predatorial act. "So, what's that book?"

"Nothing," Evie rushes at vampire pace to the book and replaces it in the shelf before Sage can get a good look at it, "Just something Stefan let me borrow. I was returning it when you so _rudely_ attacked me," Evie lies smoothly; Sage just rolls her eyes.

"I thought you were breaking and entering," She replies, "Now get out of here."

Evie glances at the ceiling and then grimaces, "My pleasure."

Sage's laughter can be heard from the parlour as Evie makes a quick exit. Evelyn finds that she quite likes this Sage person... Or she would, if she hadn't attacked her like that. She just hopes that the woman didn't get a clear look at the milling record... Surely Damon will eventually realize what Bekah is looking for and she doesn't want him knowing about her stealing the book.

...

When Rebekah returns home she finds that Evelyn is sat at the kitchen table with a glass of blood in one hand and an old Gilbert journal in the other. The blonde is combing her disarrayed hair with her hand but, as she walks past her friend, she stops to pluck the glass from Evie's hand and takes a sip.

"Rude," Evie murmurs in a distracted voice – she is focusing on the rather odd thoughts of Johnathan Gilbert too much to pay much attention to her Original friend.

"Well, I'm thirsty and I didn't think you'd appreciate it much if I feasted on a human," She replies simply. "What were you doing at the Boarding House? What book was returned?"

"The one I stole to find the whereabouts of-" Evie cuts off and then places the journal down as a thought pops in to her head. She frowns as a sly smirk slips its way on to her face, "Wait... how do _you_ know that I was at the Boarding House earlier?"

Bekah seems stumped, "I... Uh, well, I..."

"Oh my _god_!" Evelyn bursts in to a fit of laughter, "You were Damon's sex friend, weren't you? Ha ha ha!" She bursts in to another wave of laughter as Rebekah glares daggers at the doppelganger: _if looks could kill_...

"I wanted information. I distracted him for you, anyway." She shrugs, "So where's this tree?"

"I texted you a picture of the page," Evie giggles as she snatches her glass back from Rebekah and downs the remains, "Where's your phone?"

"In my..." Rebekah pats the pockets of her pants and then stops. A frown makes its way on to her face as she tries her jacket pockets... It's not there, "Salvatore Boarding House."

Their expression become one of mutual shock and anger at the same time.

"_Shit_!" They both curse before rushing towards the front door. Rebekah, obviously being the quickest, pulls the door open first... But Sage is already there with Rebekah's iPhone in her hand and her lips pressed in to a thin line.

"We need to get to Wickery Bridge before Damon Salvatore or he's going to put an _end_ to the Originals."

Evelyn has never felt slow as a vampire... Until now. Rebekah, being a thousand, and Sage being... _old,_ means that they are so much faster than her. Despite her annoyance at her slow running she keeps Klaus in her mind as she makes a dash for the bridge, following Rebekah's familiar scent as she goes. If they make it before Damon then they can burn that side of the bridge and then there'll be no wood left on the _planet_ that can kill her beloved and his family. The thought of being able to save Klaus, rather than it being the other way round, excites her. When she makes it to the bridge she is bubbling with adrenaline – she helps Bekah and Sage tear off the last pieces of the bridge and even gets the honour of lighting it up. Sage stays stood back as Rebekah and Evie stay stood by their makeshift, life-saving bonfire.

"We did it," Evie grins excitedly before hugging her friend, "We got rid of that stupid tree!"

"_You_ did it," Rebekah corrects her, "Thank you, Evelyn. I know it must be hard to go against your friends like this."

"No," She shakes her head, but the realization begins to set in... She just did it again – chose Klaus over Elena. She just doomed her sister to a certain life as a blood bag and never gave her a single thought; all she focused on was saving Klaus... As guilty as she feels for that she does not regret her decision. Klaus can't die... He just can't. Is that selfish? _Very_, but she needs him... He's going to keep Elena alive, anyway. It's not like he can kill her – he needs her blood and he's promised to protect her. As untrustworthy as he has proved to be she can trust him with that; he loves her too much to take her sister away from her, "Bekah, I'm going to head home. Will you be ok on your own for the night?" Rebekah rolls her eyes and smiles.

"Just fine, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You will, g'night."

"Sweet dreams, little sister," She ruffles the doppelganger's hair who slaps her hand away with a giggle of her own. Sage shares a very confused and questioning glance with Evie – the doppelganger just smiles politely before heading back to the Gilbert's house.

The minute Evelyn walks through the door Elena is on her case.

"How _could_ you?" She yells, slapping her sister clean across the face as she gets in to close proximity of her, "You're so _stupid_!"

"What the _hell_?" Evie shrieks; her face becomes that of her true nature as she growls animalistically at her sister. She reaches a hand to her cheek as Elena backs off a little bit.

"You did it again!" Elena growls, "You _always_ do this! You know, Alaric tried to kill Meredith tonight? And where were _you_?" Elena spits her next words in disgust, "Saving the _enemy_!"

"What do you mean Alaric tried to kill Meredith?" Evie gasps, "I thought he had taken off the _ring_!"

"You _obviously _haven't read that," Elena points to Samantha's book, "It doesn't _matter_ if he isn't wearing the ring! You know about the lobotomy thing?" Evie nods, rubbing her cheek as she does, "Well, in asylums you're not _allowed_ any jewellery!" Realization dawns upon Evie... Alaric will still have his alter ego whether he is wearing that ring or not... She should have realized... She should have stayed. "You could have saved her, but instead you took off without telling anyone to save someone who terrorises your friends and your family!"

"I _LOVE _HIM, ELENA!" Evie growls, grabbing Elena by the throat much like Sage did to her earlier. Evelyn's vampiric side has made another appearance and, even though Elena is coughing and spluttering for air, Evie is too angry to care. "I'm SICK of you, so fucking _sick _of being told what I should and shouldn't do by _you_! You get mad at me for loving Klaus? Well, _you_ love the bastard that turned me in to a VAMPIRE so, before you act so fucking perfect you may want to take a long look at _yourself_ you little _bitch!_"

She would love to say more but Damon has arrived. He throws the door open upon hearing Elena's struggles and Evelyn's rant and tears the vampire off of her sister. Evelyn lets out a feline snarl as she looks up from the ground at Damon – he growls back at her as he crouches before Elena protectively.

"Leave, _now_!" He snarls.

Evelyn climbs to her feet and brushes off her jeans. She looks down at him, up at Elena (who is now nursing her bruising neck) and then scoffs.

"I don't know why I even bother helping _you_," She snaps at Elena, "You only care about yourself."

"Go to hell!" Elena yells, "I _hate_ you!"

"Feelings _mutual_," Evie hisses... And seconds later, she's gone. Damon goes over to the front door and closes it as soon as he realizes that she has left and then turns to look at Elena. The human doppelganger breaks down in to tears, as soon as his eyes meet hers... He takes her in his arms and tells her that everything will be ok.

_But it won't_. _As long as Klaus is around, nothing will be 'ok'..._

...

"Rebekah!" Klaus greets his little sister over the phone with a proud voice, "I've found our dear big brother!"

"_Fantastic_," She replies, "_And Evelyn managed to find the whereabouts of the White Oak tree. It was built in to Wickery Bridge – we've taken care of it_."

"My fiancée is a smart one!" He grins proudly, "Now, you need to get the next flight over to-"

"_Fiancée?_" Rebekah breaks his sentence off as she murmurs the word questioningly, "_Since when?"_

Klaus internally kicks himself. He has thought about it so much that he has called her it... After a heavy sigh he finally admits it aloud.

"Alright... I may as well tell you now..." He inhales deeply, "I think that I... I am going to _propose_ to Evelyn."


	25. The Murder Of One

"This needs to have a sharper point," Stefan says to Damon as he holds out one of the twelve White Oak stakes that himself, Damon and good-Alaric have produced. The three of them are currently in Alaric's loft, sawing away at what _used_ to be the restored Wickery Bridge sign so that they can turn it in to Original-killing weapons. The older Salvatore brother takes one of these weapons from his brother, holds it up to examine it and then nods.

"Got it," Damon murmurs tiredly, and then he immediately begins to sharpen the point. Stefan pauses and watches his brother in disbelief – _how can he be so nonchalant about this?_

"We've finally got enough stakes to kill an original," Stefan narrows his emerald eyes in annoyance, "I'm not going to miss just because _you _can't whittle." Damon is surprised at Stefan's words; he has been working just as hard as he has. The older brother glares at him as a result.

"I said I _got it_," He snaps, "Stop micro-managing."

"Since you guys have got this under control I'm going to call the sheriff," Alaric mumbles, ignoring their quarrelling as he pulls on his jacket, "I want to turn myself in."

"No you don't," Damon mutters nonchalantly. Stefan is the only one of the two that looks up at the History teacher; the guilt and fear is written all over his face.

"I have a homicidal alter-ego – unlike _some _people in this room I would like to take responsibility for the people I've killed," Alaric explains in determination. Whether Damon is taking this seriously or not Alaric sure as hell is – he can't take this anymore.

"If you wanted to turn yourself in then you wouldn't be saying it out loud," Damon replies, finishing his earlier sentence as he continues to whittle one of the daggers in to a sharper point, "Just saying."

"Out of all people _you_ cannot psycho-analyse me – I killed _Caroline's_ _father_, I nearly killed Meredith... Everything's just-"

"Look, you're not turning yourself in - Bonnie's herbs are working and we have Originals to kill," Stefan cuts Alaric off.

"His morals get very questionable when he has revenge in the bag," Damon smirks, momentarily looking up from his handy work.

"Klaus needs to die, we finally have the chance to kill him," Stefan holds up one of the White Oak stakes and points it at Alaric as he speaks, "So you are _not_ turning yourself in."

"Well, what about Evie?" Alaric asks, "She's angry at Elena so that is just one more threat to worry about, isn't it? Are we going to distract her? Kill her?"

"Since when has Evelyn ever been a _threat?_" Damon scoffs, "She's a baby vampire, for Christ sake!"

"Love can make you do stupid things," Stefan speaks up – ignoring his brother's comments, "If Evelyn gets in the way then we'll find a way around her," His emerald eyes land on Damon as he continues, "But we _cannot_ kill her."

"Why not?" Damon pouts, "She attacked Elena yesterday – doesn't that _prove_ that she's team Klaus now? Besides, you killed her once – it's my turn now!"

"I was mad at the time, Damon... And last night Evie was mad," Stefan replies, "_We've _been at each other's throats a thousand times over, but we look out for each other. It works that way – we're brothers and they are sisters and, from what I've seen, their relationship is pretty much the same as ours. If we kill Evie then Elena will _hate_ us."

"Fine," Damon mumbles before reaching for the spelled ring and holding it out to Ric. "Anyway – forget about Evie. Here's your ring, Ric. Put it on."

...

"_It's about time you said something to her_," Rebekah murmurs snidely from the other side of the phone line, "_She's had it coming for an awful long time_."

"Yeah, well I don't feel any better than I did before," Evie replies from where she woke up on the couch of the Mikaelsons home, "She's still my sister, Bekah. My _twin _sister."

"_I know, I know – you two make one and all that_," She rolls her blue eyes before glancing at Klaus' amused expression, "_My brother's all smiley. I think he's excited to see you_."

"Well I'm excited to see him," Evie replies – pleased with the subject change, "How long will you be?"

"_We've just got back in to town as we speak... How's Sage?_" Rebekah asks which causes Evie to glance over at the auburn-haired woman on the other couch in the room. Her hazel eyes lift from the wooden floorboards to meet Evelyn's – when she sees the younger vampire's smirk she scoffs and looks away.

"She's fine," Evie replies, "Just disgusted at me."

"How you can love him is beyond me, that's all," Sage snaps icily, earning a shrug from Evelyn.

"I don't have to explain myself to _you_," She replies simply. Upon hearing this, Klaus finally releases a chuckle.

"_That's my girl_."

"I'm surprised you still remember," Evie pouts, "You've been gone for _too long_."

"_It's been two days, Evelyn. You act like it's been a century._"

"_Says the man who has spent the past two days thinking about-"_

"_Shut it, Bekah_," Klaus huffs which elicits a giggle from Evelyn. The sound has Sage grimacing in disgust.

"And on that note I'm hanging up; I'll see you both in a minute," She has to refrain from giggling again in excitement as she jumps up off of the couch. Klaus and Rebekah offer her quick _goodbyes _and _see you soons _and then they finally hang up the phone. As soon as Evie has put her phone down she begins to head upstairs with a disgusted Sage acting as her shadow. She follows the doppelganger up in to Klaus' room and then watches her as she applies her make-up. After a moment, Evie meets Sage's eyes through the mirror. "What?" She snaps, wondering why the disgusted vampire is so interested in staring at her.

"I'm just... curious," Sage replies as she folds her arms and walks over to the doppelganger, "Your existence is completely dependent on the curse placed upon Klaus."

"So?"

"_So_ how can you _love_ him?" Sage asks in disbelief, "You were created so that he could _kill you_!"

"But look!" Evie puts her make-up down and turns to the older vampire before gesturing to her body, "I'm still here – _still alive_!"

"You're a vampire," Sage rolls her eyes, "It explains a lot... Of course you can love him – he can't use your blood, anymore."

"He never used my blood anyway," Evelyn hisses, narrowing her eyes at the offensive auburn haired woman. _I take yesterdays thoughts back – I hate this bitch_.

"But he would have, if it came to it..." Sage walks around the younger vampire and sneers, "And if you truly believe otherwise then you are a very, _very_ naive little girl."

"_Bitch_," Evelyn hisses maliciously, "You know _nothing_ about me – about us!"

"No, but I have lived for a _very long time_... I knew Klaus back when I was a human, I am in love with his brother and I have kept tabs on him for the past nine-hundred years... I think I know him better than you do."

"Whatever," Evie shrugs, listening as the sound of a car approaches the house. Both of the vampires hold their tongues as they listen to the vehicle park up outside and then the struggles and complaints of a voice that is fairly familiar to Evelyn... _Finn_. They hear the doors burst open and someone falls on to the marble ground. She presumes that Klaus isn't being so gentle with his big brother.

"_Gather your witch_," Rebekah speaks up, "_Let's get his blood and get on with it_."

"_You can't force me to help you!_" Finn snaps.

"_Oh, I most likely could... But why force when I could persuade?_" By this point, Sage has disappeared. Evelyn turns towards the bedroom door and then quickly follows suit – by the time she makes it to the top of the stairs Finn and Sage have locked eyes and are both gravitating towards each other. Even though Evie thinks Sage is a complete bitch and that Finn is insane, she cannot help but smile as the pair embrace after nine hundred years apart.

"What do you know? True love prevails," Rebekah pulls out her phone to read and reply to the text Kol just sent her, and then looks over at Klaus with a smirk... But she quickly realizes that Klaus is no longer listening to her. His eyes are locked on the chocolate-y brown depths of his breathtaking girlfriends and, in that moment, he realizes that he has missed her just as much as she has missed him. Klaus begins walking to the staircase but, as he gets closer to her, he picks up the pace. Evelyn is already one step ahead – she throws herself in to his arms so fast that the pair stumble and fall down the marble staircase – Finn has to pull Sage out of the way so that their tumbling bodies do not hit her. The pair are carefree in that moment – Klaus is laughing in a way that Sage is shocked to see and Evelyn is attacking him with chaste kisses as she lays hovering over him on the floor; her lips kiss any part of him they can find. His jaw, his cheek, his nose, his forehead, his lips... _God, how she has missed his lips_. She forgets about her fight with Elena, Sage's words from earlier and everything else... All that matters in this moment is the feel of Klaus' lips as he kisses her back with a passion equal to her own.

"Get a room," Rebekah murmurs.

"No time," Klaus mumbles as Evelyn continues to devour his mouth, "Must... get witch."

"Well I can't," The blonde counters, "I have something I need to do... What do you need from me for that spell?"

"Evie," Klaus murmurs, trying to stop her from kissing him so he can speak and think clearly. When she refuses to budge he begins to laugh, "Evelyn _please_, love."

"Hmph, fine," She huffs sulkily before climbing off of him. Klaus quickly gets to his feet and pulls her straight in to a tight hug as soon as she is on her own. He looks over her head as she rest hers on his chest and meets his sisters eyes, "Just your blood and your blessing," He replies before narrowing his eyes in suspicion, "Where are you going?"

"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore," Her blue eyes take on an icy tone as she speaks, "I'm sure Evelyn will catch you up to speed... After she's done trying to squeeze the life out of you."

"I'll tell him," Evie mumbles against Klaus' dark jumper. The hybrid strokes the back of her head gently and tightens his hold around her as he watches his sister leave; he doesn't miss the excited smile she sends his way. _Get engaged already_, it says to him. The box kept in his pocket seems to gain weight. He just wants to get it out of there and on to her finger... But not yet. Not until this link with his siblings has been broken.

"So, what did Damon do to my little sister?" He asks as she pulls away from him – she wraps her arms around his neck and then frowns at his question.

"He slept with her to try and find out why she was hovering around him and his brother so much..." She smirks darkly, "The silly boy never realized that I was already one step ahead of him." Klaus chuckles at that and presses a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead before meeting his eyes again.

"Oh, he's hurt her feelings," He fakes a cringe, "Expect spilt blood."

"I'm cool with that," Evelyn's eyes take on an angry tone as she thinks back to the events of last night, "After he threw me around last night I wouldn't want to be saving him, anytime soon." Klaus frowns at that.

"And _why_ was he throwing you around, love?" He murmurs.

"Because I pinned Elena against the wall by her throat and told her how much of a bitch she has being to me," Evie grimaces, "She gets so mad at me for loving you but _she_ loves the guy that turned me in the first place! She is so _hypocritical!_" She snaps. Klaus sees that she is obviously upset – whether it is because of Elena's bitchiness or the fact that she has fallen out with her sister he does not know – but he strokes her cheek with the back of his hand and hushes her in a soft, velvety tone.

"It'll be fine, sweetheart. Just ignore her – we never asked for her or anyone else's approval, anyway."

"You're right," Evie reaches up to take his hand in her own, "But it would be nice if she'd leave me alone about this. She's my sister – I don't want her to disapprove."

"She'll never approve of us no matter what you do," Klaus replies, "It's my fault, though, so don't feel bad about it."

Evelyn stares in to his deep blue eyes for a moment before she just nods and gives him a half smile. Klaus smiles back at her and presses one more quick kiss to her lips before he pulls away.

"Right, I need to go get that little witch..."

...

"Is it weird that Bonnie's not returning my calls?" Elena asks as she returns to Matt and Caroline. Caroline shrugs whilst Matt looks around awkwardly... He catches something in the corner of his eye and, when he looks back, he feels himself do a double take.

"Is it weird that Klaus' brother is in the middle of the town square?"

Caroline meets Elena's eyes and shares a confused glance with her before the pair of them turn around to see what Matt is seeing. There, right by the civil war monument, is Finn and... A girlfriend?

_What the hell is going on? _Elena asks herself... Its times like this that she could do with being friends with her sister; she is _always_ with the Originals... She would be such a good addition to their schemes, if only she would betray her _beloved_ _Klaus_.

...

"Evie, look what Bekah caught!" Klaus chortles in amusement; a moment later Evelyn enters the room. As soon as her eyes meet Damon's she smirks.

"Aww, nice hunting Bekah!" The doppelganger replies as she takes Klaus' hand in her own. He looks down at their intertwined fingers and then at her; _she's beautiful_, he thinks to himself contently. He looks up to the bear traps keeping the vampire locked in place by the wrists and realizes what his sister is up to.

"You're trying to bleed him of vervain," Klaus notes aloud, "Don't you think it would be easier to hang him upside down?"

"I'm perfectly capable of inflicting pain, thank you very much," Rebekah replies confidently.

"Well _excuse me_, it's not like I have any expertise in the matter," Klaus meets Damon's eyes and shares a false-exasperated glance with the trapped vampire. Even in this condition Damon shares the look – only his is with sarcasm.

"Why don't you just leave me be and go manage your witch?" Rebekah snaps, folding her arms as she does so. Klaus chuckles and Evelyn smirks as she meets Damon's eyes.

"Have fun, Salvatore," She giggles before tilting Klaus' chin in her direction and standing up on her tip toes to plant a firm, passionate kiss on his lips – Damon grimaces in annoyance and turns away. Evelyn doesn't see this, though, because Klaus sweeps her off of her feet and carries her bridal-style out of the room. Once they reach the other room Klaus speaks up.

"Tick tock, I should hear chanting by now," The hybrid sing-songs, but the sound is impatient. Bonnie looks up from her place on the seat to see a very... Odd sight. Even though Klaus is speaking as his typical self, his usually iced-over blue eyes look like they have actually melted... Plus he is gently carrying Evelyn in to the room. The thing that shocks Bonnie the most is the lack of sympathy that Evie has for her... It causes Bonnie to scoff in disbelief.

"I knew you were low when I found out that you loved him but I never expected _this_ of you... I'm shocked," She growls, keeping her eyes on Evelyn as she speaks.

"Yeah, well, you all underestimated me," Evie hisses as Klaus sets her on her feet. The vampire walks over to her friend... _Former friend_, and picks up some strands of her hair playfully, "It's nothing personal, Bonnie. I just can't let them die, that's all. Rebekah's my friend and I love Klaus."

"You're no better than them," The witch sneers before turning to Klaus, "And you need to be more patient. I'm still studying the unlinking spell... It's not easy, especially under _stress_!"

"You've been warned," Klaus speaks in a silky, deadly voice that forms goose pimples on every inch of Bonnie's body, "If you're looking for a way to send for help I will _kill_ anyone who comes to your rescue."

"This is the spell I just _don't know _if I'm strong enough!" Bonnie replies, walking away from the chair that the hybrid is stood behind. His presence frightens her more than she would ever like to admit.

"Then you should have a little more faith in yourself, Bonnie," Klaus says with false kindness, "Your energy helped my mother link us – honestly, I think that somebody isn't trying very hard." Bonnie just silently glares at him; Klaus watches her for a moment and realizes that she is not going to 'help' him if he continues to play nice, so he releases a pitiful sigh, "Very well." Evelyn and Bonnie watch with suspicious eyes as the hybrid pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and calls someone. "Kol! How's the weather up there in Mile High City...? And how's our friend?" Klaus' eyes meet Bonnie's upon saying this; the witch continues to glare at him in defiance... But he can see the worry in her gaze, "May I see him?" He asks and, sure enough, Klaus comes to stand beside Bonnie and raises his phone to show Jeremy petting a golden-furred dog. "There he is, playing fetch with his new puppy," His lips stop at her ear as his eyes remain on the screen and his voice lowers to a whisper, "Isn't that the most _adorable_ thing you've ever seen?" And then he places the phone beside his ear and steps away from her, "Thank you, Kol. We'll be in touch." Klaus puts the phone down and then looks up at Bonnie. "So Bonnie... How about that spell?"

"You're doing it again," Evelyn interrupts, gaining the attention of both Bonnie and Klaus. The hybrid narrows his eyes at his girlfriend and smirks mockingly.

"Doing what, love? Protecting myself? I thought that this is what you wanted... You were the one who told us where the White Oak was, after all. And you haven't complained about any of our plans up until now."

"I wanted to protect you," Evie nods, "But I didn't do it so you could throw it back in my face. You won't touch Jeremy, alright?" The doppelganger turns her narrowed eyes to Bonnie, "And you _will_ do the spell, Bonnie. You're not leaving this house until you've unlinked the Originals, do I make myself clear?"

"Bitch," Bonnie hisses, scoffing in disbelief, "Wait until I tell Elena."

"Oh, go ahead," Evelyn chuckles darkly as she picks one of the candles up from the table, "See if I _care_." Klaus goes to say something, at that point, but Evelyn holds up a hand to silence him and snaps, "We're playing by _my_ rules, now."

...

"_Hey_," Stefan murmurs as he picks up the phone.

"Hey," Elena replies as she continues walking – she is trying to put as much space between herself and the two nine-hundred-plus year old vampires currently strolling around the town square, "Where are you?"

"_I just got home_," Stefan frowns, "_Why?_"

"Klaus' brother, Finn, is in the town square and he's with some... Ex-girlfriend or something."

"_Ex-girlfriend?_" Stefan shakes his head, "_The guy has been in a coffin for the past nine-hundred years... Unless... Sage; it's got to be Sage._"

"We have an opportunity," Elena murmurs before releasing a sigh, "So, how do we do this?" Stefan pauses at this; holding his tongue on telling Elena that Sage is old and that they don't stand a chance against her... Instead he thinks about what Damon told him this morning – about the argument that occurred between Elena and Evelyn last night.

"_Elena, you're acting out_," He murmurs.

"What?"

"_You're mad at Evelyn so you're acting out – trying to kill the Originals like this is blind and reckless. Don't let the fallout between you and Evie get us all killed."_

"Look, I don't _care_ about the fallout with Evelyn, alright? She clearly doesn't care about me so why should I care about her?"

"_Evelyn does care about you, Elena_," Stefan sighs as he massages his temples, "_It's just that she cares about Klaus, too. Look, I know that her falling for Klaus was wrong but she can't help that... You're being so hard on her because she loves him and I understand why you're so mad because, after everything he has done to you, Evelyn still tries to protect him... But put yourself in her position, Elena. If Klaus was trying to kill me then would she hate you for trying to protect me?_" He remains silent for a moment to allow Elena to take what he has just said in... After a minute or so he decides to enter the house. A pained groan from the staircase grabs his attention, upon entering the house – he rushes to the stairwell and gasps slightly as he sees Ric laid on the ground with a wounded forehead, "_What happened to you?_"

"Stefan?" Elena murmurs, snapping out of her thoughts at Stefan's words.

"_Rebekah happened_," She hears Ric say... But she doesn't understand. The other end of the line remains silent for a moment before Stefan speaks once more.

"_I think we have a problem_."

...

Evelyn strokes the wooden box holding the vials of Original blood as she admires the intricate design carved in to it. She wonders what era it came from... Of course, this is to distract herself from what is going on in _her_ era. She just can't think about everything that is taking place right now; arguing with Elena, Klaus' antics, going against her friends in a way that she has never done before... The sadness, the anger and the guilt are all threatening to consume her and she just can't take that. So, instead, she strokes the small wooden box. Somewhere between thinking about the renaissance era and the Originals, a strong set of arms wrap tightly around her waist; the doppelganger grimaces and rolls her eyes.

"Let me go, Klaus," She sighs in irritation.

"Never," He replies lovingly before laying a kiss on her cheek from behind, "I've missed you."

And, once again, despite the irritation she feels towards him her resolve crumbles. Evie's body relaxes as she leans her head back on his shoulder and tilts it so that she can meet his sea blue eyes with her own, "I missed you too, but that doesn't mean that I'm not mad at you."

"Oh, what for now?" He mumbles, "Bonnie? Jeremy?"

"_Yes_," She grimaces slightly, "And leaving me for two days without a _real_ goodbye." He chuckles at the suddenly lustful look in her eyes. He spins his doppelganger around so that she is facing him and then pulls her lips to his... But, before he can deepen the kiss, she quickly slips out of his arms and gives him a stern look.

"What are you doing?" He scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"I'm angry," She shrugs nonchalantly, "So I'd appreciate it if you _let_ me be angry."

Evelyn proceeds for the door but, with a growl, he pulls her back to him and throws her to the bed. Caught off guard, Evelyn struggles to gather her bearings – but Klaus has her pinned in place before she can move. The doppelganger goes to yell at him for scaring her, but suddenly his lips are on her neck... And she doesn't care too much anymore. His hands are beginning to roam as he kisses her heavily. No words need to be spoken, for his touch is saying everything it needs to... He is driving poor Evelyn _crazy_.

And then Klaus' phone begins to buzz.

"Damnit," He hisses before rolling off of Evelyn and pulling his cell phone from the jacket he had tossed aside during their make-out session. Evelyn props herself up on her elbow and watches as he taps the screen; her eyebrows furrow as curiosity gets the best of her.

"Who is it?" She asks.

"It's Kol," He murmurs distractedly, "He's asking about the linking spell – just wants to know if it has been broken," Klaus stops tapping the screen and then turns back to her with a seductive smirk. "Now, where were we...?"

"Kol?" Evie places her hand on Klaus' chest to keep him at a distance for a moment, "That reminds me..."

"What?" Klaus' lustful looks have been pushed aside, for the time being. He watches Evelyn expectantly as she sits crossed-legged on the bed and then pulls out her own cell phone.

"Kol called me yesterday," She admits, watching Klaus the whole time so that she can take in his reactions. At first his brow furrows, but then his eyes fill with an angry edge. The hybrid sits up and gives her a confused look.

"How did he get your number?" He asks, watching her with suspicion.

"I don't know!" She narrows her eyes, "And I don't appreciate the suggestion that _I_ gave him it, thank you very much! I made it pretty damn clear to him that I wasn't interested."

"I know that," Klaus mumbles. After a moment he gets up off the bed and begins pacing, "What did he say to you?"

"He was..." Evelyn thinks back to the phone call with Kol yesterday and exhales heavily, "He said... He talked about missing me, and he told me that he 'swept me off my feet' while he was here, blah, blah, blah. I didn't know who it was at first, but when I found out I told him to delete my number because I was blocking his."

"And did you?"

Evelyn feels a new kind of guilt spread through her at that question. She can either lie or tell him that she did, in fact, save it under his name... It was in case of an emergency, but will Klaus truly believe that? _Not with what Kol has been doing_, she thinks. And what if she did need Kol to come home? What if Klaus was in danger of being killed and Rebekah wasn't around? _Yes_, she thinks, _it is good that I have Kol's number... But I can't tell Klaus_.

"Blocked it, obviously," Evie replies with a roll of her eyes, "What else would I do with it?"

The hybrid releases a sigh as he falls back on to the bed. At first Evie thinks that he has detected her lie, but when she gets a better look at his face he is smiling. As his eyes meet hers she smiles back and then quickly straddles him – her smile quickly becomes a smirk as she leans down and captures his lips in a soft kiss.

"I have to take that box down to Bonnie," Klaus mumbles against Evelyn's lips before the kiss can deepen at all. The doppelganger pouts but climbs off of him, anyway. The hybrid walks over to the side table that the box full of Original blood is being kept, picks it up and then turns back to her, "I'll be right back."

"Ok," She replies as he leaves... Once he is out of the door her smile becomes a frown. Kol is in Denver – she knows that now. Kol is in Denver _with her younger cousin_. The most dangerous, malicious and cruellest of the Originals is with her flesh and blood... And that scares her. If Elena knew this then she would be catching the next flight out to Denver and bringing Jeremy home... But here Evie is, rolling around on a bed with the man who _probably _had the psychopathic killer stalk her cousin in the first place. She knows that this is her fault – that helping Klaus means that she is giving him the upper hand... But Jeremy is her family.

_And family comes first_.

She knows that going out to Denver will raise Klaus' suspicions but, to be honest, she doesn't really care right now. She has helped keep the Originals alive by talking Bonnie in to helping them _and_ finding out the whereabouts of that White Oak wood before team Stefan could use it; she thinks that it is time to help team Stefan out, now... Because that is what her life has come down to – switching sides, forcing herself to be cruel to one side or the other, helping out her family and then her lover and then her family... It is all one big repetitive cycle of trying to keep everyone alive and, to be honest; Evelyn doesn't know how to break out of it... If she did then she wouldn't be writing an _I'm sorry Klaus, but family comes first x_ note and sneaking out of his bedroom window without a real goodbye, right now.

...

"The spell has been lifted," Klaus tells Rebekah happily as he finds her in the kitchen. He peers over his younger sister's shoulder to see that she is diluting vervain in water – this elicits a chuckle from the older brother, "More torture techniques? He must have hurt you more than I thought."

"Shut up, Klaus," Rebekah murmurs distractedly, "I'm busy. Why don't you go celebrate the uplifting of the spell with Evelyn?"

"I may just do that," He replies. For good measure, they hybrid takes a blood bag from the freezer and then heads upstairs. Once he reaches the bedroom door it has been closed... The possible reason behind this has him smiling brilliantly. "What have you got-" But his sentence is cut off when he sees that Evelyn is nowhere to be found. With a frown, Klaus goes to check the en suite... But she is not there, either. He goes to leave the room but a piece of paper catches his eye; the Original places the blood bag down and walks over to pick the note up.

_I'm sorry Klaus, but family comes first x_

A low growl leaves his throat as his lips curl back. _What does she mean by that? _Does she mean Elena... Or Jeremy? If it is the latter then that means that she is or _has_ jetted off to Denver... _And that is exactly where Kol is... And, with a boiling anger, he remembers that she knows this_. His fury is not helped as he hears the voice of Stefan Salvatore emanating from downstairs.

"_Klaus!_" Stefan calls, "_I'm here! Let's do this._"

"Oh good," He replies as he enters the room, rushing to it at the speed only a vampire could reach. He forces a mocking smile upon his face to mask his anger, "A hero..." Klaus holds up his arms as if awaiting something, "What do you want?"

Stefan throws a bag at Klaus' feet and then replies, "I'm here to make a deal."

"Stefan what're you doing?" Damon mumbles almost unintelligibly; he is clearly worn out from his day of torture from the female Original standing beside her older brother. Stefan ignores Damon as he speaks to Klaus.

"Eight stakes made of White Oak... A part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn." This causes Klaus' anger to make another appearance but for a completely different reason to Evelyn running off, this time. He turns to Rebekah with an angry grimace and narrowed eyes... She looks completely baffled as she responds.

"That's _impossible_, I..."

"Actually it's not," Stefan replies as he looks at his brother, inhales sharply and then turns back to Klaus, "Finn's dead."

Klaus' face drops... The anger momentarily disappears as he stares at Stefan in complete _shock_. All this time he has kept his siblings in coffins, and this was partly to protect them from Mikael... Finn was in that coffin for nine-hundred years – he has barely been awake for a _week_... The grief... The _guilt_... Rebekah is one step ahead of shock as her eyes already begin to fill with tears.

"You killed my _brother_?" She speaks in a dark tone despite her tears. Klaus just remains silent; keeping his icy blue eyes on Stefan

"_Damon_ in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you," The younger Salvatore brother offers, watching Klaus the whole time.

"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Klaus asks monotonously; his facial expression is blank but his true emotions burn bright in his eyes... He is getting over the shock. Klaus is genuinely saddened by the loss of his older brother.

"Because there aren't," Stefan lies, forcing the best fake-sincere expression he can. However, Klaus does not trust Stefan at all, now that he is not under his compulsion.

"Let's be certain, shall we?" He almost whispers before heading over to the chained-up Damon Salvatore. "Leave," He murmurs.

"No," Damon wheezes.

"Go on," Klaus almost whines the words, but his smirk give away his true joy at the thought of inflicting pain on the younger vampire, "Leave."

"Nik he's _my_ play thing, not yours," Rebekah grumbles. It reminds Stefan of two children quarrelling for a stuffed toy – the childish banter over who gets to torture Stefan's older brother _disgusts_ him. Klaus ignores Rebekah and continues to smirk at Damon... But he is not co-operating willingly. Within seconds Klaus has taken Damon by the throat and forced him to turn his head to him; Damon tries to deny Klaus, but he is just too strong.

"I _said_ go home," Klaus whispers as the vampire _finally_ meets his gaze. Klaus watches Damon's pupils contract at his compulsion and grins devilishly – _it is working! _Damon tries to fight it... But it is too painful. He keeps his eyes locked on Stefan's as he begins to pant, but the agony is too overpowering. It reminds Damon of the aneurysms that witches often give him. He gives in to the pain, but then a new pain begins to form... He can feel the bear traps scraping all of the flesh from his arms away; he growls and cries in agony – it seems to go on _forever_ but, eventually, Klaus speaks up.

"Alright, stop, stop, _stop_! Before you hurt yourself," Klaus chuckles in a sick, twisted amusement before continuing, "Well, I see that he can finally be compelled. Now," The hybrid gently moves one of the chains attached to the bear traps aside, steps forward and takes Damon's neck in his hand; Damon has no choice but to meet Klaus' compelling gaze once more, "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?" Damon takes a moment to catch his breath but he does eventually answer.

"Eleven." Stefan's face twists in to an irritated grimace as Damon tells Klaus the truth.

"_Eleven_!" Klaus calls out, "Really? So, not _eight_ then?"

"You _really_ shouldn't have lied," Rebekah scoffs.

"I'll get you the other three," Stefan replies curtly, glaring at Rebekah as he does so.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. Or, since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue," Klaus seems so... So _amused_ by the thought of that; Stefan finds himself just stopping and dropping everything as he meets Klaus' eyes with a revolted look.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" He asks in disbelief.

"What is wrong with _YOU_?" Klaus snaps back; his voice raises a few octaves during the end of the sentence, "Do you _really_ have _no_ appreciation for me? I have given you someone to _hate_ – to _LOATH..._" Klaus gestures to himself angrily as he speaks, "A _target_ for all of your anger so you don't have to turn it on yourself... I have given you a _life purpose_ as your _friend_," And then he chuckles again, "I really think you should be _thanking_ me."

Stefan cannot take it, anymore. He lunges for Klaus – pinning him against the wall by the throat before holding the White Oak stake he had in his pocket above his head. His eyes go from green-to-onyx as he glares fiercely at the hybrid. He wants to kill him – wants to _watch_ the life drain from his eyes... He cannot think of anything better than watching his blood turn cold and his face turn from tanned-to-grey... But he knows he can't kill him, so he does the next best thing. Stefan begins to chuckle cruelly as he glares at the wide-eyed Original.

"I wonder what Evie would think if she saw you torture Damon like you just did," He smirks, "She wouldn't cheer you on, I'm sure. She has humanity left in her no matter how hard she's trying to play the bad-guy act – she'd be _disgusted_ by you. She'd pack her bags and _leave_."

"She's not here," Klaus tries to smirk but something in Stefan's words rings true... A voice in the back of his mind is nodding along with Stefan's words.

"I could always tell her," Stefan hisses icily, "She'd finally see you for the _monster_ you are... She'd _hate_ you, Klaus. I think you know that... One day, Evelyn will see you for what you truly are," The younger Salvatore brother lets out a twisted laugh, "I cannot _wait_ to see that day!"

"Step _down_, or you both die," Klaus replies; attempting to ignore Stefan's words as he keeps his eyes on the stake above his head. Stefan sees the murderous look in Klaus' eyes and that flips some sort of sanity switch inside his head – he can't try to kill Klaus... Not now. Not with Rebekah here, too. That'd be a suicide mission. _Didn't he just tell Elena to not let her anger get them all killed? _Slowly, Stefan releases his grip on the White Oak stake, letting Klaus take hold of it. The tension in the room simmers down, but the calming of Stefan's raging anger has not stopped his biting words.

"I'm right. I know it, _Rebekah_ knows it and _you_ know it," Stefan almost whispers, "It's the reason why you fight so much. Damnit, it's the reason why Evelyn has jetted off to Denver despite you just getting back!" Stefan smirks as he sees the anger building in Klaus' eyes, "Evelyn's _pure_. She may be a bitch but she's pure... So, enjoy it while you can, because someday you're going to do something that opens her naive little eyes, and then she'll _finally_ stop trying to protect you... And I'll be there, on that day, to _take. You. Down_."

"Thank you for _this_. Now you only have to get me the other two," Klaus tries to reply nonchalantly, but his voice is quivering. His heartbeat, which is existential due to his hybrid status, is thrumming as his throat constricts. _Yes... He knows that Stefan is right_. He wants to try and make Stefan's words meaningless, but he can't... There is nothing that he could make up right now to prove Stefan wrong, because he _isn't wrong_ – Stefan is _right_.

"Oh, this is _ridiculous_," Rebekah sighs exasperatedly as she walks over to Damon and pulls the metal cuffs out of his wrists.

"What're you doing?" Klaus finally manages to speak with a stable voice as he watches his younger sister release the Salvatore brother.

"I brought him here so _I_ get to release him. My rules now that _Evie_ seems to have disappeared," She explains snidely; to Stefan's surprise it seems that he really has touched Rebekah with his little speech, as well. He hadn't realized before, but he sees it as her eyes meet his... Rebekah cares about Evelyn just as much as Klaus does. She is her only friend – the thought of losing that friendship is just _unthinkable_. "Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith." The blonde reaches down for the bag holding the White Oak stakes; as she does she meets Klaus' eyes, and he sees exactly what Stefan saw... His sister cares about Elena, so much so that she is willing to change – to be a better person... This sudden change in Rebekah begs just one question from Klaus:

_Why aren't I?_

"Bring me the stakes," Klaus speaks monotonously once more. He is saying the words because he feels that he has to, but there is no mocking humour or even _anger_ behind them, anymore. "All of them, or I'll wage a war against everyone you love... I hope I'm being clear."

...

"Honestly, I didn't think you had this in you," The young man chuckles darkly as he watches the _breathtaking_ beauty walk towards him. Everything about her is perfect... He has thought so ever since he first saw her in his human days; olive-toned skin, chocolate curls that match the depths of her eyes, her curves and sleekness of a super model – her full, delectable lips... He has always found the doppelganger's to be compelling, but there is something about Evelyn Gilbert's _personality_ that makes her stand out; not just against Tatia, Katerina and Elena, but against _all_ the women that he has met... But, instead of coming out with these thoughts that he could _never_ put in to words, he merely holds his cell phone in the air and smirks like any good little brother would, "I am pleasantly surprised."

"Shut up, Kol," Evie mumbles as she pulls her overnight bag over her shoulder, "I'm not here for you."

"Aw, let me guess," The Original purses his lips and pretends to be concentrating, "You're worried about little Jeremy so _you_ came out here to babysit me."

"You've got it down to a T," Evelyn replies with a pause and a curt nod before pushing past Kol and heading out of the airport doors. The Original turns and watches her with an amused expression before jogging after her.

"What about my brother?" He asks mockingly, "What did he think to this?"

Evelyn stops in place and tenses up... She doesn't turn around, but the way she reacted to the question tells Kol _everything_ that he needs to know. The Original runs a hand through his hair and chuckles.

"Tut, tut, darling. You should know better – my brother is quite the possessive one..." And suddenly he is there, right behind her, with his lips against her ear. Evelyn tenses up further as Kol whispers, "So you'd better keep your hands off of what you _really_ want."

Evelyn scoffs and elbows him in the ribs before stepping away and turning to face him. She narrows her eyes and scowls at him angrily, "Shut up, Kol. I don't want you, I want _him_ – if I wanted you then I'd have already had you, by now."

"What do you mean by that?" Kol scoffs – it's his turn to be angry, which definitely works to Evelyn's advantage. The vampire steps closer to him in an attempt at intimidating his pride down to size.

"That you'd sleep with anything that _walks_," She replies; the younger vampire smirks as Kol just glares at her...

_Maybe this trip will teach him some manners_, Evie thinks proudly, grabbing the car keys from his hand as she walks towards the vehicle. Kol watches her with a half-hearted glare before he decides to join her in the car; as he climbs in his cell phone begins to ring. In one quick motion he has the device in his hand and he is hitting the answer button.

"Klaus," He grins, "Evelyn has arrived, if that is why you're calling."

"_They've killed Finn_."

All mocking thoughts are dropped from the pair as they both stare at each other in shock.


	26. Heart Of Darkness

_A/N: So I have read through some of the chapters of this story & I am appalled at them. It has been pointed out that there have been spelling mistakes and that some of the chapter breaks do not flow too well and, the truth is, I never realized. Thank you to the people who have pointed these out. I have taken some of the advice given on board and I have decided to make a vow – I __**promise**__ that I will make sure there are 0 spelling mistakes, that the breaks flow well and that I don't just stick to Evelyn's view all the time (which I have seemed to gain an irritating habit of doing). I also promise to break away from the storyline a little bit – as much as I liked sticking strictly to the TV shows plot I want to add my own spin on things now. So, this chapter is the beginning of me developing these characters a little bit further and adding my own sub-plots. Of course, I will still use the shows dialogue and plots *disclaimer: which I do not own in any way* but I will try and add my own spin on to them. Thanks to everyone who is still reading this story & those who took the time to read this A/N, you have no idea how much I appreciate it._

...

Kol's eyes squint against the rays of sunlight that stream through the netted curtains hanging at an angle above the window. Bleary eyed, the Original slowly pushes his legs over the edge of the couch that he slept on and rises in to a sitting position; his limbs are stiff, so he stretches his lean arms and legs out and yawns quietly as to not wake the doppelganger sleeping on the couch facing his own. The first thing that really registers in Kol's mind is the amount of dust that he is inhaling; Mary Porter's home is not the cleanest... In fact, it disgusts Kol. She has books scattered all over the sides and wooden floors and _everything_ is covered with a thick layer of dust. He knows why she is like this, though. Her time with the Originals changed her... Well _actually_ it was her time with _him_ that changed her. Kol's sleepy features form in to a tired half-smirk before his eyes fall to Evelyn.

His smirking features soften as he watches her. She looks so peaceful, in sleep... She has never looked peaceful around him alone. When they are together she is always careful and reserved, but when Klaus is with her she is completely relaxed... If they are not arguing about Elena, or anything else along the lines of family members. _It's strange_, he muses; _their arguments always come down to family._ The darker side of himself taints his gentle expression, forming a smirk as he chuckles quietly. _Him flirting with Evelyn will just make that worse. Good, _because the last thing Kol really wants is for Klaus to be happy._ Evelyn is merely a pawn in my own personal game._

She is awfully beautiful, though... But, then again, all of the doppelgangers' are. Tatia had only received loathsome thoughts and words from Kol, as she had torn his brother's apart... But that was when he was human. Katerina had been different, _but she was quick and easy... _If you know what he means. Elena Gilbert is too plain and caught up in her whirlwind romance with the Salvatore brothers for Kol to pay any attention to her, but Evelyn... She is different to all of the doppelgangers that he has come across. Being the strongest of both twins, she is feisty-yet-compassionate and slightly arrogant-but-naive. Evelyn is a strange mix of the nicer (_boring_) doppelgangers, like Elena, and the crueller doppelgangers, like Katerina. She is not a strumpet, like Katherine, but she is not as empathetic and angelic as Elena is – or _tries_ to be – either.

Evie is an enigma – a caring-but-sarcastic girl with a beautiful body and a sharp tongue. Kol may be using her as a weapon against his older brother, but he still finds her interesting. Maybe it is because her mood towards him can change at the click of his fingers; maybe it is because he never knew the doppelgangers' were supposed to literally come in pairs... The Original shrugs. Does it really matter _why_ he finds Evelyn interesting? All that truly matters is that she is here, with him, and Klaus is _miles_ away.

"Stop staring," Evelyn's sudden order was unexpected, on Kol's part, but he does not let it embarrass him. Instead, he uses this to her advantage.

"Stop looking so ravishing and I will," He replies, shrugging as he speaks. Evelyn yawns tiredly and groggily rises in to a sitting position, ignoring his comment. Kol watches her as she stretches her olive-toned arms out to the sides and moves her neck in circular motions, getting out any kinks that it may have due to her uncomfortable sleeping place. When the doppelganger finally opens her eyes the Original is smirking at her; clearly he is amused by something she has done, and this makes Evie self-conscious.

"What?" She mumbles, staring at him blankly. Kol lets out a short chuckle and stands from the couch, making sure to watch out for any books or various other trinkets as he does so.

"Nothing," He replies, releasing a sigh as he grabs his cell phone from a side table he had left it on for the night and looks at the time. "Come on, we've got a Gilbert to babysit."

"Babysit?" Evie scoffs, narrowing her eyes at him, "You're keeping him under lock and key without him knowing about it."

"It was my brother's idea; I'm just doing what he says. He must know a few more survival tricks than myself, considering that he has managed to spend this past millennia _alive _at _all times_," Kol's expression darkens for a moment as he undoubtedly travels back to the time that Nik stuck the silver dagger and White Oak ash in to his heart – something that he is still _furious_ about, but is overlooking for the time being... Well, almost. He is still trying to steal his brother's _precious girl_ away from him... But she is proving to be _very_ uncooperative. After he comes out of his thoughts he cannot help but admire Evelyn with curiosity, "How do you do it?"

"You're going to have to be a little more specific than _that_," Evelyn mumbles without looking up from her overnight bag. She is currently getting today's outfit in to order.

"Live with my brother? Be his girlfriend?" Kol chuckles darkly as he looks around for his change of clothes, "I consider being his brother as suffocating; I cannot even begin to imagine how bad it is for _you_."

"Klaus doesn't 'suffocate' me, Kol," Evelyn rolls her eyes as she turns her head to the side, watching him as she speaks, "He loves me and I love him – it's not exactly suffocating if I like his presence."

"Yes, but what if you decide you want to leave him, someday?" Kol stops walking around as he keeps his eyes on her. Evelyn takes this time to resume sorting through her clothes, "What if you wanted to experience life with someone else? You're merely eighteen and you have an _eternity_ ahead of you – it's bound to happen... But do you really believe that my brother would let you go?"

"Yes," Evie nods firmly, but she can see the point that Kol has. Although she _does_ love Klaus and, at the moment, she truly believes that she wants to spend her eternity with him and _only_ him... Eternity _is_ a very long time. What if, a thousand years later when she will undoubtedly be a completely different person, she wants to break away from Klaus? Would he _really_ let her go, or would he keep her with him against her will? Tendrils of panic crawl up her spine as she considers this. She can imagine that feeling of suffocation that Kol was talking about – it feels as if the four walls surrounding her are threatening to close in. She shudders.

"You should have thought about what you were giving up before you gave in to the devil," Kol mutters before leaving the room to change, trapping Evelyn with a temporary loneliness and her uncertain thoughts.

...

Klaus stretches out his lean front legs, claws at the ground, mewls and then blinks the sleep from his eyes as he rises from sleep. He had been fiercely angry after what happened last night – Evelyn left to go join his _flirtatious brother_ in Denver and he discovered the existence of _eleven_ White Oak stakes in Mystic Falls... So he decided that it was a perfectly good time to let his werewolf loose. Now he is here, basking in the glow of the morning sun and letting his wolf instinct take over – but not completely. He doesn't want to kill anyone, today. He just wants to feel normal, and this is what normal _is_ for him. His first ever transition in to a wolf (back in the Viking days) had terrified him, but what happened afterwards was wonderful – the freedom of being an animal rather than a human/vampire was breathtaking... When his mother took that away from him he had _despised_ her... But, one thousand years later, he has finally got it back. Now he can transition _and_ he can create hybrids like himself. He grins wolfishly.

He always manages to defeat his mother.

Despite this, the threat of her return is always looming over him. It's like a dark cloud threatening a bright blue sky – he has finally got everything that he has waited _so long_ for: his werewolf side, his hybrids, returning home, _Evelyn_... And then here _Esther _is. She chose _now_ to come find him and take it all away from him. He has finally found a number of reasons to carry on living and she has to come along and _ruin_ it. He lets out a growl as his lips curl back from his dirty blonde snout – _she will not win again_. She may have that History teacher wrapped around her little finger (he is sure that his alter-ego links to her in _some_ way) but he will still find a way to overcome her, unless she makes Alaric faster and stronger than he is... Which is impossible.

He tells himself that, anyway.

The truth is inexcusable, though. He knows that she will have the power to do that – she is one of the strongest witches that has ever walked this Earth. She _created_ the Originals, so what is stopping her from creating another? Then again, Klaus has one thousand years of this on his side – he will be much faster and stronger than even a _newborn_ _Original_, anyway... But he is sure that his mother has a trick up her sleeve; what irritates him is that he hasn't figured out what that is and how it is going to affect him. The dirty blonde wolf breaks it's and huffs. Klaus knows that he cannot stay in this form for much longer, so he decides to take off running through the woods; he can enjoy the feeling of the wind whipping through his fur for a while longer, and then he can deal with collecting those last few White Oak stakes and talking to Evelyn later on.

...

"I cannot _believe_ that you are actually _doing this_," Caroline speaks as she watches Elena with a blank expression but wild eyes. The doppelganger sighs heavily as she drops a change of clothes on to her bed and then turns her tired brown eyes to her best friend.

"Doing what, Caroline? Going to Denver? Jeremy is in _danger_ and we need to speak to Rose... He may be the only person who can do this."

"I'm not talking about Jeremy, I'm talking about _Damon_!" She hisses; her voice raises a couple of octaves on the vampire's name. "You can't just jet off on a first class plane to a different part of the country and expect nothing to happen!" Elena's cheeks flush a delicate pink as her mouth drops open; she had not expected Caroline's concern to be _that_. Quickly, the doppelganger snaps her mouth shut, but she takes her lower lip in to her mouth and gazes at Caroline with uncertainty.

"I have to do this, Caroline. _Stefan_ even said that we have to do this..." Elena falls down on to the bed and exhales, "Stefan thinks that I have unresolved feelings for Damon, and this is me proving to him that..." She trails off, which increases Caroline's worry. The blonde perches on the corner of Elena's bed and straightens out the shirt that had crumpled with Elena's fall.

"This is you trying to find out if you do or you don't," Caroline answers quietly, to which Elena nods. They both stay there, for a moment, as they think about this. Caroline has already made it perfectly clear that she is concerned about this trip _because_ Elena is going away with _Damon_... Doesn't that just back up that Stefan could possibly be right? Elena isn't sure about what she feels for Damon. She cares about him, yes, but does she love him? If she does then it is not the same love she has for Stefan... It's different... Damon just consumes her; that is the only thing that she is sure of.

Elena has so much to worry about. It seems that everything she does just brings on a new concern... She is worried about Caroline, Tyler, Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Bonnie... And Evelyn. A prang of guilt hits a nerve as her twin sister's name springs to mind. She has not thought about her as much as she should have, but that is probably because Elena wants to cry whenever she does. She knows full well that she deserved Evelyn's anger, but she was just so shocked at how physical her anger had become. She did not have to manhandle her like that, did she? If it wasn't for that then Elena probably would have apologized by now... She sits up from her position on the bed and looks over at Caroline.

"Have you spoken to Evie lately?"

Caroline's big blue eyes become sympathetic, as she turns from the clothes to her friend, and she shakes her head and bites her lower lip – a habit of hers when she becomes concerned about something or someone.

"Nope, not since before Klaus came back. She's probably too busy with him or something."

"Well she played a part in intimidating Bonnie in to breaking that blood link," Elena's face pinches up in annoyance as she remembers how scared and upset Bonnie had sounded during that phone call – the one where she told Elena that Jeremy was in Denver with Kol.

"If Evie tried to intimidate Bonnie then she won't have really meant it," Caroline places a comforting arm around Elena as she gives her a consoling hug, "She's just trying to protect Klaus, that's all. And let her – if he originated our bloodline then we can't kill him."

Elena looks up from the ground to study Caroline's expression, as she says the words. She knows her friend enough to know what she is thinking – Caroline is hoping that Klaus _did_ originate hers, Stefan's and Damon's bloodline. Elena does too; she inhales shakily as she nods.

"I want to apologize to Evelyn... I have been too controlling with her; I shouldn't have tried to tell her what to do. At that point I didn't know that if he died then she would die..." Elena reaches out to place her hands over Caroline's, whose eyes come out of their glassy daze, "If Klaus dies then so does your boyfriend and my _sister_... I'm not going to let them kill Klaus, Caroline, regardless of whether or not he originates your bloodline."

"But what about Damon?" Caroline's brow creases in worry as her eyes begin to prickle with the threat of tears, "Damon doesn't care."

"Damon _will_ care, if not about Tyler and Evie then about _me_... I _can't_ lose Evelyn," Elena chokes on those words. She has to pause for a moment and try to get rid of the lump that has formed in her throat... But she can't. Her voice is quivering and full of emotions as she speaks, "They won't kill my sister." Caroline smiles sympathetically and then inhales sharply.

"We're thinking too much – if there is something that I have learnt from all of this it is that we can't think too much, because if we think then we'll go insane," Elena laughs at that, and Caroline stands up and straightens her jeans out, "So come on. Get up and finish packing your stuff – _you_ have a little brother to protect and _I_ have a boyfriend to see."

"Tell Tyler 'hey' from me," Elena smiles as she blinks away her tears, "And good luck with escaping the wrath or Rebekah." That elicits a laugh from Caroline, who is already headed towards the bedroom door.

"I will, and thanks – I may just need it." Elena watches Caroline leave and, once she has, the smile drops from her face. They may find moments of humour in all of this but she cannot help feeling like depression is going to overtake her. Maybe it is because she may have already lost someone else – her _sister –_ but to something other than death, this time... She'll just have to hope that Evie is willing to give her a second chance, but that has to wait until after she has brought Jeremy back home. Elena has to know that the people she loves are safe before she focuses on fixing her emotional problems.

...

"Kol, I cannot go in there," Evelyn states in a factual tone. They are currently sat in a car that Kol has 'rented out' for his stay in Denver; Evelyn's eyes are fixated on the small Sports Centre with courts for baseball, basketball and other sports set off at the side. It is humans _galore_ out here, and Evie had left Mystic Falls impulsively and irrationally. Now her head is clear she has realized that her stomach and bloodstream is, too... She is getting incredibly thirsty and she has _no_ blood bags with her.

"Oh, shut up," Kol rolls his oak brown eyes as he turns to her with a slightly disgusted expression, "You're a _vampire_ for God's sake, it's as easy as biting in to their neck, letting the sweet, warm blood flow in to your-" Evelyn punches Kol in the ribs, at that point. He gasps as the shot winds him and she glares at him with blackened eyes. He was purposely explaining it like that to tempt the demon inside of her, and now it is making an appearance. She squeezes her eyes shut and thinks about her Father – a man who hunted vampire's and was strictly against their existence – to ease the bloodlust. He would be disgusted at her, if she killed an innocent. She feels the lust to drink drain away... And after a moment she opens her eyes to find that Kol is watching her again. "Hmm," He murmurs, "Nicely done. Newbie's are not usually so good at self control."

"Yeah, well, my Dad was a vampire hunter. I think he'd hate that I'm a vampire as it is, so drinking from humans wouldn't help much. I'll stick to blood bags," She smiles smugly at him and then gazes at the Sports Centre for a moment... The scent of iron is making her throat dry, but Jeremy is in there – as much as she is _terrified_ about this she cannot leave him and Kol alone. "Alright, I'll try to do this... But _please_, Kol, _please_ don't let me drink from a human... Just do something decent for this _one time_...?"

She is looking at him with doe-like, chocolate brown eyes... And he feels his resolve wavering. It is awfully _pathetic_ of him to even _consider_ helping her – a measly youngster who he believes needs teaching the ways of their species... But it's because of his interest in her that he can see her side of this. She doesn't want to become a monster like everyone else – she wants to make something good out of the bad that she has become... He idly wonders if she really does love his brother or if she sees him as some charity case. _It's probably a mix of the two... _If her eyes were not so compelling then he would say no, to her question... But they are.

"Alright," He sighs tiredly before opening his door, "But you owe me _big time_. I expect something in return." Evelyn smiles and rolls her eyes at his words, but she climbs out and walks beside him towards the building.

"Thank you, Kol. It is very much appreciated – I do owe you one and I'll do whatever you need, if it doesn't include breaking the law or killing innocents," She raises her eyebrows at him as he turns his head to the side, gazing down at her with a smirk.

"Oh dear, you know me too well," he chuckles, earning a small shrug from the doppelganger in response. Evelyn is instantly reminded of the pillow fight after the ball – a time like this where both herself and Kol managed to get along as _friends_. Despite Kol's irritating advances on her she really does like him, but maybe _not_ in the way that he seems – or pretends – to like her... She wishes that she could get in to his head and find out what he is _really_ thinking and feeling. Klaus is an open book, to her, but Kol is a mystery. She finds that she'd quite like to unravel his secrets, whether they are good or bad...

"I like it here, in Denver," Evelyn muses as they cross the grass to the smaller building that leads in to the baseball section of the community lot. "The weather is great and the people are-"

"Normal?" Kol chuckles.

"I was going to say _nice_," Evelyn glares at him for the mocking chuckle, "But suit yourself."

Their conversation pauses for a moment as they enter a small tariff. At this point, they have to pay to get in. The youngish boy behind the counter greets Kol with the familiarity of a friend, but when it comes to Evelyn he straightens up and nervously glances around. Evie seems slightly irritated at the fact that the boy is so smitten, but it is very amusing to Kol. After an awkward, tongue-tied conversation with the pimply sixteen-year-old, they continue to the door leading to the courts.

"He liked you," Kol nudges Evie and gives her a quick wink, which earns a slap on the arm from her. This is another thing that Evelyn quite likes about Kol – he is still a teen at heart. Although he is wise and dangerous he is also impulsive, and his mood swings can consume you as easily as they do him. His teasing tone at the moment is familiar from her days at school in Denver; the normalness of it has her laughing along with him.

"I can't play baseball, you know," Evelyn admits sheepishly.

"That's ok, your cousin can't either," Kol grins and she half-heartedly glares back at him, "but they are only machines in this section. The team games are usually held over there," He points over to a court where a large group of humans are currently gathered, probably discussing who will play what position and who will bat first - Evelyn feels a short but sharp shoot of sadness as she watches the boys, who appear to be her age, laughing and joking. There is a small group of girls sat at the side, probably here to watch their boyfriends and gossip with their friends... _Normal_, she thinks. She misses being _normal_.

"Oh, right," She nods, biting down on her lower lip slightly as she follows Kol. As they come to a corner a thrill of excitement overtakes Evelyn, quenching her sadness from before. It has been too long since she even _spoke_ to her younger cousin, so she cannot wait to see his surprise when she shows up. She uses this time to listen out for him; she really hopes that he is here so they won't have to wait for him to turn up – she is really impatient.

"_So you travelled across the country to get me to talk to a dead vampire_?" There he is – that is Jeremy's voice... _But who is he talking to?_ Evelyn's brow furrows in concentration as she places a hand on Kol's shoulder. He gives her a look of confusion and she taps her ear in response – he too opens himself up to his heightened sense of sound as he listens to whatever has caused Evelyn to stop in place.

"'_A dead vampire' is redundant, but yes_," Evie's eyes widen slightly as she puts this voice to a face – _Damon_. She glances at Kol uneasily; his jaw has tightened and his fists are clenched by his sides. _This won't end well_.

"_Well I can't! I can talk to Anna and Vickie because I knew them – I've never even _met_ Rose,"_ Jeremy explains.

"_What good is you dying and coming back to life if you can't talk to a ghost when I need you to?" _Damon sounds slightly irritated, but there is definitely supposed to be humour in that question. Evelyn grimaces – _the older Salvatore has always had a way with words, _she thinks with the upmost sarcasm.

"_Rose spent a long time running from Klaus as well; she and Damon were close, so maybe we can use him as a connection_?" Kol watches Evelyn as Elena speaks up for the first time; her face floods red with anger as she realizes that Elena is trying to help _Damon_, but then guilt quickly takes its place. _She does the same thing with Klaus; she has no right to judge_... But in this case Evelyn's life is also in the balance; that is much worse, isn't it? _Surely she isn't angry enough to try and kill me—_her thoughts are cut off as Kol begins moving, again. She watches as he turns the corner and eyes the scene in front of him with interest – surely enough Damon and Elena are there, backs turned as they speak to Jeremy who catches his eyes. The human releases a sigh.

"Fine, fine. Can we do this later? My friend just got-" Evelyn turns the corner too and, as Jeremy's eyes had found Kol's before, they find hers now. His expression is certainly shocked. Jeremy's eyes widen as he speaks; "_Evie_?"

Damon and Elena turn around, as Jeremy speaks the other doppelganger's name, but a blow to the head of Damon distracts them. Evie, Jeremy and Elena all watch with surprise as the Original glares down at Damon murderously. _Oh God_, Evie curses before rushing at Kol with the speed of a vampire and snatches the splintered baseball bat from his hand.

"Kol, _no_!" She growls, but he ignores her. Instead the Original heads over to the bat stand and admires the _weapons_... He finds a nice aluminium bat that will do _perfectly_ for this, "Kol, _please_ don't – not here!"

"What're you _doing_?" Jeremy yells, finally emerging from his shock. Kol gives him a fake smile as he keeps his eyes firmly on the floored Damon.

"Jeremy get back, he's an Original!" Elena snaps quickly, her face flushes red in anger as she watches Kol circle Damon, who is only just recovering from the hit. Evelyn doesn't know what to do – she is angry enough at Damon to enjoy watching this but it won't do her any favours when she tries to apologize to Elena – but can she really stop an _Original_? Kol swings the bat loosely in his hands as his eyes fill with a predatorial look.

"You know, I'll never get used to aluminium, but hey," The Original's wild oak brown eyes meet Damon's as he smirks, "At least it won't break!"

"Kol _stop it_!" Evie snarls, finally deciding what she is going to do – she grabs the bat and attempts to tug it out of Kol's hands, but he is too strong and was anticipating it, so it remains in his grip as well as hers. He snarls back at her, the oak of his eyes melts away in to darkness as the veins underneath his eyes rise and his lips pull back to expose his fangs. This is their nature – a way of telling each other to _get out of here_ or _this food is mine_! It is as instinctual as breathing, to a vampire, to glare at another like this... But Evelyn cannot let her instincts take over for even a battle because, if she does that now, then she'll drain a human dry.

One minute Kol's eyes are burning in to Evelyn's, and the next minute he is gasping in pain. Evie forgets all about instincts and the situation at hand as his eyes return to normal but the life drains from his face – panic overtakes her. Her doe-like eyes widen as her mouth falls open... His tanned skin begins to pale and turn grey as the blood inside his veins freezes over. Before she knows it, Kol's dead body lays on the ground in front of her. She drops the baseball bat in shock.

"Did you kill him?" Jeremy asks warily, watching Kol's body with a look that makes Evelyn think that Jeremy believes the Original will leap up, tug the splintered baseball bat out of his own heart and stick it in to Damon's.

"No," Damon wheezes. The older Salvatore brother lifts his cerulean eyes from Kol's lifeless form to Evie, who seems to look relieved at the news that Kol is not _dead_ dead. His expression becomes void of emotion as her eyes meet his, "What're you doing here?"

"I came to keep Jeremy safe from Kol," She replies, "I don't trust him. Klaus had him watching over Jeremy as bait to force any of us in to helping him," Evelyn's features soften as she turns to Jeremy, "I came here to keep an eye on Kol and protect Jeremy."

"What about us?" Elena speaks up from beside Damon, glaring at Evelyn with a mixed look of disbelief and annoyance, "Bonnie told us that Kol had Jeremy, but why didn't _you_ tell us?"

"Because I knew Bonnie would tell you, duh," Evie snaps, feeling her anger towards her sister return as she tries to scold her _yet again_," You know what, Elena? Not everything is about you. You don't need to know _everything_ about _everyone_ – I could easily have kept Jeremy safe without you having any idea about it." The angry doppelganger turns her gaze to Damon, "Now run along – go find out if you can kill me. It'll be a blessing if it means I can get away from all of _you_," She directs that to Damon and Elena, not Jeremy. Elena looks slightly hurt and Damon just looks angry, but Evie doesn't care. She kneels down beside Kol and pulls the makeshift stake out of his heart before glaring up at them again, "Well, what're you waiting for? Go. _Now_. I have nothing left to say to you."

...

Alaric is bored but _definitely_ not tired.

He is also furious with his _other_ self, for putting him in to this predicament. Instead of grading the papers that he had his History classes fill out last week he is laid in the Salvatore Boarding Houses cellar, trying his very best to _fall asleep_... This is proving to be impossible, considering the time _and_ the circumstances at present. How is he supposed to fall asleep when all he can think about is the problems that everyone has to face? His vampire hating alter-ego, Elena and Jeremy in Denver with Kol lurking in the shadows... There are an awful lot more but he doesn't want to sit here and list them. It will just make him anxious. Well, more anxious than he already is.

The squeaking protest of the cellar's lock suddenly echoes through the room, which sends a jolt of surprise through Alaric – he hadn't been expecting company. He turns to the door and feels his insides clench with dread as his eyes meet the mocking eyes of Klaus. Instead of showing his fear of the Original hybrid, he sits up and keeps his face void of emotion. Klaus is the exact opposite - he lounges against the doorframe and folds his arms whilst watching the History teacher expectantly.

"What do you want?" Alaric asks.

"My White Oak stake, of course," The smirk falls from Klaus' face as he speaks in a serious tone, "I've waited long enough, Alaric. Go and fetch it for me and then I'll leave."

"I can't," He replies uneasily. He doesn't particularly feel like telling Klaus the reason for being down here... The hybrid is the last person Alaric would trust with _anything_, "My un co-operative alter-ego hid it. We're waiting until he decides to make an _appearance_ to ask me... _Him_, where it is." Klaus cocks a curious brow at the way the teacher speaks of his alter ego but says nothing about it. His face breaks out in to an almost amused expression as he holds up his hand, which occupies one of the other White Oak stakes.

"By my count this is the tenth stake – someone left it on the liquor stand upstairs," He sighs and gives Alaric an almost pitiful look. "Maybe I'll just kill you now, if the eleventh is so hard to find..."

"You can't," Stefan's voice is void of emotion as it floats in to the room. Klaus turns from the doorframe to see the younger vampire stood in front of him – he has his arms folded and is staring at the hybrid with a hostile gaze, "When we staked Finn we discovered that killing an Original for good kills their entire bloodline. Now, I don't know which one of you I am descended from, but I'd rather not find out by dying, so why don't we just wait for Ric to fall asleep, get the stake and _destroy_ it so that we can all be safe."

Alaric and Stefan don't miss the way that Klaus' eyes seem to set on something and widen, slightly. It's the gaze of someone who has realized something almost heartbreaking... And Stefan immediately knows what that is. Evelyn is his descendant, so if he dies then she will too... The hybrid drops his mocking act as he glares at Stefan resentfully. He knows what Klaus is thinking – _this is your fault. _

"So, you're telling me that the entire vampire race depends on _you_ finding a stake?" He growls, "And to get it we need _you_ to pass out?" Klaus looks over at Alaric, pointing the stake at him as he speaks, "Which means that _I_ feel totally justified doing _this_." Klaus' form becomes a blur as he rushes past Stefan – the younger vampire barely has time to turn around before he hears the crunching of breaking bones and the _thud_ of Alaric's dead body as it hits the ground. Klaus hadn't exactly wanted to kill, today, but it's certainly helped drain some of his anger... Stefan's eyes narrow slightly at they meet Klaus'. The Original has a new, determined look in his eyes as he clenches his hands in to fists; The White Oak stake splinters in his left hand, but he does not care in the slightest.

"There. He's sleeping – when he wakes up he _better_ tell us where that stake is..." He says the next words almost to himself, "I will _not_ let Evelyn die for _this_. We will find that stake, burn it and I will officially be _done_ here."

...

"Just for the record," Damon raises his hand to stop the two Gilbert's as they approach a faded blue door, "It was Elena who wanted to stay at a motel, not me."

"Shut up, Damon," She growls half-heartedly, "Just open the door."

Damon smirks but does as she says – pushing the key in to the lock and twisting it until the door clicks and opens. He holds the door for them as both Elena and Jeremy enter.

"I still can't believe that Kol's a vampire," Jeremy mumbles, cursing himself for his naivety.

"Oh well, it's done now. We've lost him anyway," Damon murmurs nonchalantly, admiring the room as he does. "This looks good enough to lay low in for a while – he'll be looking for us when he wakes up."

"I'm more worried for Evie right now," Jeremy says, which earns a sympathetic look from Elena. She is just as worried for her sister as he is. Kol looked _pretty_ pissed when she tried to stop him from hurting Damon, so what's stopping him from hurting her? Klaus may make him think twice about it, but something tells Elena that Kol doesn't care about his older brother enough to take his feelings about harming her in to consideration.

"Everyone needs to stop _worrying_ about her," Damon grimaces as he glares at them, "She's a traitor – she is with the _enemy_!"

"She just saved your _life_," Elena snaps, giving Damon a glare of her own as she drops her bag on to one of the motel room's double beds. Damon thinks back to what happened - how Evelyn had defied Kol to try and save Damon's life... And sighs

"Alright, her distraction gained her some brownie points but she's still protecting _them_!" He hisses, hoping that Elena will see it his way. The doppelganger doesn't, though – she just releases a sarcastic laugh and goes over to close the front door.

"Damon, if Klaus dies then so does Evie – if I were in her shoes then I'd be doing the same thing!" She yells, "What's happened to you? Weren't you the one lecturing _me_ for being too hard on her? Well, I've seen what I've done wrong and I'm prepared to apologize, but you're now blaming her for something that is out of her control! Sure, I didn't understand why she wanted to protect Klaus before but now that her life is on the line I kind of get it!" Frustrated by Damon's lack of compassion for her sister's life, Elena storms in to the small bathroom, slams the door shut and locks it. She doesn't want to deal with him right now – not when he is being so heartless. He needs to realize that, just like he'll do anything for Stefan, Elena will do anything for Evelyn. After a minute or so, Damon turns away from the bathroom door and looks at Jeremy. He is glaring at Damon as Elena had but Damon just tries to ignore it.

"We need to get in touch with Rose," He murmurs the words but they have a darker tone underneath them that has Jeremy deciding that he will do whatever Damon says until he has calmed down – _no one_ should mess with Damon when he is angry. "How shall we do this?"

"Uh, well do you have a picture of her or anything?" Jeremy asks, "That could help."

"A picture?" Damon scoffs, "What, on a trip to Disney Land?"

"Alright then," The Gilbert glares at Damon again for his sarcastic comment but doesn't say anything about it, "Try telling me something about her..."

"Hmm..." The older Salvatore brother smirks as he sits on one of the beds and leans back on his hands, "She was talented with her _tongue_..."

"Something that matters, Damon," Jeremy rolls his eyes, which elicits a serious expression from the vampire. He seems to resent it at first, but as he speaks about Rose he feels himself calming down and opening up, a little more... She was his friend; he still misses her.

"She spent her last day in paradise... Soaking in the sun and reminiscing about what it means to be human..." He gazes at the ground with a fond expression; something that Jeremy is not used to seeing Damon wear, "And when death came... She didn't fear it."

Elena, who had been sat with her back to the bathroom door, unlatches the lock and opens the door slowly. Damon's eyes rise from the dull carpet to hers; his face is void of emotions but his eyes hold a sadness that breaks her heart. She feels her heart skip beats as he looks at her like that... She feels the need to comfort him; to just hold him until all of his pain disappears but, instead, she exhales shakily.

"I was with her on her last day... It wasn't paradise, she was in _pain_," She murmurs, confusion is clear in her voice. Although Damon opens his mouth to reply, it is Jeremy who responds.

"It was in the dream he gave her..." Jeremy's eyes meet Damon's as his eyes widen in shock, "She's here."

Damon averts his eyes to the window, hiding the grief that the memory of Rose never fails to bring with it. Although they had a rocky start they developed a friendship... They understood one another on a different level to what the people currently surrounding him do. He did not love Rose by any means, but he definitely cared about her, even if he had refused to admit it at the time. Elena keeps her eyes on Damon throughout his dazed state, wishing that she could just go over and comfort him... She shakes her head as if to clear it and turns to Jeremy.

"Is she lonely on the other side?" She asks this question purely because she knows that Damon is probably wanting to ask that himself. His eyes snap over to Elena, who is now taking a seat beside Jeremy at the small table in the corner of the room. They all wait for a moment as Jeremy presumably listens to Rose's response... Elena wishes that she had the ability to speak to ghosts... Well, the ones she likes, anyway.

"She says not to worry," Jeremy speaks the words to Damon, "She's happy."

"Is she still hot?" Damon asks as his usual smirk pulls up his lips. Jeremy listens for a moment; his eyes widen at whatever Rose says, which has Damon grinning.

"Uh... She misses you," He cannot help but smile, too. Elena imagines that is because of the way Rose put whatever she said, but the smile soon falls from Jeremy's face... Damon becomes curious and Elena frowns slightly at her younger brother, but he speaks before either of them can ask what is wrong; "She... Uh, she misses both of you." Elena blinks in surprise, at that. Although she helped tend to Rose in her last days of life she wasn't _that_ close to her. There is another moment of silence; Damon and Elena do not break this in case Jeremy is listening to Rose, "She was sired by someone named Mary Porter."

"Ugh," Damon groans, "Scary Mary," He then looks around the room, "Well, where is she, Rose?" They sit quiet for another minute, and then Jeremy looks over at Damon instead of in to the empty space that Rose's ghost must be sat.

"She said to let her go and find out; she'll come back when she finds a lead."

...

"I'm _so sorry, _Rebekah."

Rebekah's eyes flood with tears as her mother takes her by her forearm in what is supposed to be a comforting gesture... But it isn't. Not because Rebekah could not forgive her mother for all of the pain that she has brought upon her children, but because she has began chanting unusual words under her breath. Realizing that this must be another one of her traps, the vampire tries to tear her arms away, but the spell... It has her frozen in place. A sharp pain begins to build within her heart, and she immediately knows what is happening – Esther is going to _possess_ her! The sharp pain in her heart begins to spread, and Esther's body begins to shudder as her spirit travels from her own body in to her daughter's. The pain has reached the tips of Rebekah's fingers and toes now, making her want to cry out for help, but she can no longer control her mouth. Her body drops to its knees against her will and the pain begins to leave... Along with her consciousness... Her final thought is of killing her mother for good before she passes out in to darkness.

Footsteps. Esther can hear footsteps that she had not been able to hear before. She doesn't remove her gaze from her own – now lifeless – body; she just stares at it blankly. Niklaus comes to a halt outside the door, as he takes in the scene before him... Rebekah is knelt by their mother's side, and their mother is passed out...?

"What's going on?" He asks curiously, eyeing his sister suspiciously. Her eyes remain on Esther's body as 'Rebekah' replies.

"She's dead."

Klaus' hardened blue eyes return to Esther's face and lifeless body. He feels so many emotions overtake him, at those words, that he finds it difficult to stay in the room. Just this morning he was anticipating her return and the battle he would have to go through to keep his life... And, just like _that_, she's... Dead? Something inside himself is grieving, something else is immensely happy... But there is another part of himself that doesn't believe it. Overcome with confusion, he quickly turns away from Rebekah and rushes to his bedroom.

He misses the loathsome look that 'Rebekah' gives him.

Klaus feels the same stress that brought on his transition in to a wolf threatening to overtake him, again, but he won't allow it now. He cannot just run off and turn whenever he feels like it – gaining that kind of habit will only result in losing control over his werewolf gene, and who knows _what_ will happen if that occurs? Well, he does – he'll end up getting angry at someone important, like Evelyn, and turning on the spot... And he doesn't want to end up biting her again. God, that is the last thing he wants.

He is _dying_ to speak to her, but he doesn't want to whilst his brother is in the background. Kol's attempts at winning Evelyn over are not exactly at the forefront of his mind right now, but it definitely won't lighten his mood. Out of pure frustration, he throws his fist in to a chest of drawers, not caring that his hand travels straight through the wood, slicing his flesh. Everything is just adding up in to one large pile of issues, and he does not know how much longer he can take it. At least one threat has dispersed. Esther is now dead... But she is not incompetent; she can still use her Powers to get in touch with this world. Esther's body may be dead, but Klaus knows that this is not the end... This is just the _beginning_.

He sighs. He may be furious at Evie, but he wishes that he could just pull her close, bury his head in her shoulder and inhale her lemon-ginger scent... He misses her and _hates_ waiting for her to return. Most of all, he _despises_ that she is with his younger brother... He wants to trust her, but how can he when the other doppelgangers have all followed in Tatia's footsteps?

...

Evelyn stares at Kol's lifeless frame whilst chewing nervously on her lower lip. The forest surrounding her is thrumming with life, but she cannot enjoy the chirping of the birds and the _pitter-patter_ of the for-legged animals' footsteps as they search for prey... Not whilst Kol is silent and still beside her. After Elena, Damon and Jeremy left the Sports Centre she quickly moved Kol in to the confinements of the trees; she has been awaiting his awakening ever since.

She is so thirsty, but she doesn't want to leave Kol to find a hospital – she'll probably get lost, and then she won't be here when he wakes up and who knows _what_ he will do? Evelyn had tried feeding from a passing rabbit earlier on, but she could not handle the fowl taste of its blood and ended up spitting it out and setting it free. The doppelganger felt a build of respect, as she watched the bunny race away, for the old Stefan – the man who Elena told her once trained himself to feed off of woodland creatures rather than human blood. It must have taken a lot of work and a _huge_ sacrifice of enjoying every 'meal'. Shaking herself from her thoughts, Evelyn turns back to Kol. A slight bit of colour seems to have returned to his cheeks – she jumps up from where she is sat and kneels beside him.

"Fuck!" Kol's quick curse makes her jump; she watches with wide eyes as his chest heaves and he inhales sharply. The Original gasps air in rapidly and hungrily as his wild, disorientated gaze take in the scene surrounding him. He can smell the musky, damp smell of the dirt underneath him and hear various different birdsongs all merging in to one sweet melody. He is in the forest, so it seems... And he is not alone, "What...? _Damon_." Evelyn gulps, thinking back to what happened earlier – he will _definitely_ want revenge after this... And he won't be too happy with her, either. Evelyn slowly climbs to her feet, planning on taking off if she needs to, but Kol's angry eyes turn to glare daggers in to her own... She freezes as he shakily jumps to his feet.

"Kol, I'm sorry-"

"I'm sick of this!" He growls, swiping at the dirt on his clothes before glowering at her again, "_You_ need to pick a side, already. Klaus may be able to deal with your shit but _I_ certainly can't!"

"Hey!" Evie's mood changes instantly, as he says that. Although she is not exactly angry she suddenly narrows her eyes and becomes extremely defensive, "Who the _hell_ do you think you are? It's not _my_ fault that _you_ lost control; maybe you should've spent the past thousand years learning some restraint!"

"HE KILLED MY _BROTHER_!" Kol's building anger finally erupts; he may be interested in this girl but one thing he does not and never will understand about her is how she can defend _two_ sides and not just _one_ – it infuriates him that she is so _indecisive_. Evelyn backs away from Kol as he glares at her with his fangs bared and soulless black eyes, "_THEY_ KILLED MY BROTHER, YET YOU DEFEND THEM! DAMON SALVATORE WOULD LET YOU _DIE_ WITHOUT A _SECOND_ _THOUGHT_ SO WHY THE _FUCK_ DO YOU INSIST ON _PROTECTING HIM_?" All sound and movement seems to freeze, in the forest, as Kol's mood ices over the whole area. Evie's defensive mood freezes along with it, quickly switching in to that of fear as her eyes become doe-like instead of narrowed.

"I... I don't know," She answers lamely. Her back is now pressed firmly against the bark of a nearby tree, "I just wanted you to stop fighting, Kol! I didn't mean to upset you-"

"YOU CARE TOO DAMN MUCH!" He growls, coming to a standstill in front of her as he roars the words, "_THAT'S_ _WHY_!"

"Kol, _please_," Evie feels so pathetic, but she cannot help it. Her bottom lip begins to quiver as she clutches the tree behind her, praying that he'll calm down. This is because of Finn dying, she knows that. This is his way of dealing with the grief now that he cannot get his revenge... But it's not fair that he is taking it out on her. "Kol, you're scaring me, just stop _shouting_ at me!"

"_SCARING YOU_?" He scoffs in disgust, "Have you _heard_ yourself? You're a _vampire_ and you act like a _human_! Alright, I admire that you have learnt self control so easily but you're so _PATHETIC_!"

Evie is taking Kol's lecture on board without realizing it. At his words, anger begins to replace her fear – she finds herself pushing him away and growling at him – a low, feline sound that echoes throughout the clearing they are stood in. Just like the mood-swing switch that she was thinking about earlier, Kol's mood changes – he smirks at her brilliantly; his eyes are fierce and mocking as he stares in to her black-as-midnight eyes.

"_That's_ more like it! Have something about you; don't be that silly little human girl that you once were... You're a _vampire_ now, Evelyn," Kol chuckles as her glare intensifies, "My brother – he is one of the most feared vampires to walk the Earth, but he is too emotional for his own good. It overrides his true nature," His nose crinkles up in distaste, "It's an embarrassment to watch... It seems that the big bad wolf is not teaching you properly."

"Don't act so fucking smart, Kol," Evie spits, "You know _nothing_ – you're a _monster_!"

"_We_ are _monsters_!" He snarls, suddenly switching back to being angry, again. Too sudden for Evelyn to stop him, he grabs her by the arms and pulls her towards him, keeping her wrist locked in his grasp as he brings his undisguised, demonic face closer to hers. He is pleading her with his burning eyes to understand what he is trying to tell her, "Why can you not _accept_ what you truly _are_?"

Kol is panting heavily; each exhale of breath fans out across Evelyn's face... They are stood _very_ close together and, like his, her breathing is fast and irregular. It is a mix of fear and anger... And something else. Kol just stares down in to her onyx eyes, watching as they slowly fade back to the endless pools of chocolate brown that captivate him. Evelyn does the same, finding herself hypnotized as his eyes return to that comforting oak brown colour that always seems to warm up when he smiles. A strange, familiar-yet-unfamiliar feeling begins to build inside her; starting off as a small spark... _He's too close_, she tells herself, _push him away_... But she can't. There is something about him... Something terrifying, something exciting... She had been as wrapped up in his mood swings as he was; completely consumed by the burning fury and petrifying fear and defiant defensiveness that had her focused on him and _only him_. Arguing with him, calming him, defending herself _against _him... He consumes her, interests her... Kol Mikaelson and the way that he makes her _feel_ is a mystery that she wants all of the answers to.

...

_A/N: Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that I'm splitting this chapter in to two? ;) Yeah, it was getting on to 16/17 pages long so I decided to split it. Please don't flame me yet if you hate the Kol/Evie thing, you still don't know what's going to happen, remember. I hope you'll all like it! Oh & I did my best on the spelling errors, I'm really sorry if you found one._


	27. The Darkness Within

_I'M BAAAAAAACK! So guys I am still going to be suuuper busy but I just love this story so much and MY MUSE CAME BACK! *happy dances* hehe I'm so excited to finish off Season 3 and start writing Season 4... And, guys, TVD STARTS UP AGAIN NEXT WEEK! Oh God if I thought I was excited last year then I don't even know how to describe what I'm like this year. I'll be bouncing off my bedroom walls next week._

_Anyway, I just want to apologize once more for my terribly long absence, and I hope you like this! I wrote a lot of it months ago so it may be a little weird in places, but I'm working on it! _

_P.s. I love each and every one of you for sticking by me & this story when the going got tough. I just want you all to know that. SO this chapter is dedicated to YOU. Yes, you, on the other side of the computer screen._

_HAPPY TBF READING! :D_

...

"What're you doing?" She asks quietly, gazing up in to his slightly irritated oak eyes, "You're... You're so _confusing_." This causes Kol's eyes to drop any hints of irritation. Instead, he just looks interested – it's the same expression that he always seems to wear around her, only it is more intense than usual.

"Me?" He breathes, "Have you met yourself? You're too... Too _pure_ to be a vampire," He chuckles lightly as he slowly eases his grip on her wrists, "It's immensely irritating."

"Your mood swings are what's irritating here," She finally tugs her wrists from his grasp and gestures to the both of them, "I can't keep up with you. Make your mind up on an emotion and just _feel_ it, already."

"That's just it, though," He looks down to the ground and shakes his head, but Evelyn keeps her eyes on his face as he grimaces, "We're not supposed to feel."

"That right _there_ is your problem," She replies; her words have him looking up at her with his interested gaze once more, "Or our problems... I refuse to accept what I am and you refuse to accept who you are?"

"I'm afraid I do not follow," He murmurs, wishing that he did... He wants to understand her, as irritating as she may be.

"_Well_, vampires _are_ monsters, but that isn't all we are, Kol." Evelyn frowns slightly as she locks her eyes on his, "Maybe at first we can choose not to feel, but that wears off, doesn't it? What I mean is that we're meant to feel – we're not supposed to be the emotionless monsters that _you_ think we should be, but we're not exactly supposed to be the pure, blood-bag-drinking-good-guys that I think we should be, either." She laughs lightly, deprecatingly, and sighs, "We're supposed to drink from humans, I guess, but we're not supposed to kill them." She shrugs, "I don't know. I can't pretend to understand our complicated species... But it's a start, right?"

_He's acting different to what he was a few moment ago_, Evie notes silently. Instead of glaring at her in irritation for being so 'pathetic' he is now smiling at her as if she is the most interesting being that he has come across since... Well, God knows who? _And she is_, he realizes with a shock that shakes him to the core. She makes him question things... Things that he has been so sure about for so long – and that is what he finds so compelling about Evelyn Gilbert... Her need to protect everyone, her need to be _good_.

She is not always as perfect as she wants to be but, then again, who is? She can defy her friends' wishes and her boyfriend's wishes if that means they'll stay alive. Like now: she knows that Klaus will be angry with her for this sudden flight out to Denver, _but_ she did it to save both her cousin and, possibly, her relationship with Klaus... If Kol killed the youngest Gilbert then _surely_ she would leave Klaus as it would have been his fault; in her mind the argument that is going to come when she returns home from this trip is preferable to the one that would follow Jeremy's death. Kol doesn't understand her on _this _level, though. He just knows that she is too pure to be a true vampire, as sarcastic and irritating as she can be.

"I think we should head back to Mary's," Kol murmurs, breaking the silence between them. Evie snaps out of her thoughts as he says the words. She was thinking about Klaus... Wondering what he would say if he saw her stood intimately close to his younger brother... She is questioning whether or not this means anything – this strange understanding that she shares with Kol. They are quite possibly the most opposite people on the planet, but she really is beginning to like him and understand why he is how he is... That scares her; scares her more than _anything_. She thinks of Elena with Damon; is this how they started out? Interested in each other and then _drawn_ to one another?

She doesn't want this – she has _never_ wanted this... So she won't let herself have this.

"Kol," Evie murmurs, taking a few steps away from him, "I need to say this now, before anything gets too out of hand..." His eyes are fixated on her, so she presumes that she has his attention. The doppelganger begins to nervously play with her thumbs as she speaks, "I can feel it happening... This stupid doppelganger curse-thing that has all of us falling for two brother's instead of just one. I _love_ Klaus, but as I spend time with you I can feel myself getting more and more attached to you. You're so infuriating, but then you have these moments where you joke with me like we're just two normal people... And I like that about you; I like how you're still a teenager, that you'll still poke harmless fun at me and that you have this little crush on me," Her eyes glance up to his, now. She wishes she didn't look up at him, because his face is like stone... But his eyes are full of emotion, but she doesn't know what it is. It's not pain... It's something else. _Shock? _She bites her lower lip nervously and sighs, "But I can't get attached to you – I can't _do it_, I can't be _Tatia_. It kind of pisses me off that you've been trying to make me fall for you but I see why... well, I can see why you want to get revenge on Klaus but _please, _if you _really_ need your revenge, then please don't use me; I don't want to be a cheat. It's not right and it's not fair."

"You're going back to Mystic Falls now, aren't you?" He murmurs monotonously, his eyes harden as he realizes this. Evelyn slowly nods her head and pulls out her cell phone.

"I have to... I can't stay; if I do then, uh... Well, I'll already kind of miss you as it is," Her big brown eyes begin to sparkle with hints of hope as she looks up at him again. She wants to say something to make this less awkward... She could pull the _we can still be friends_ card, but that will make it sound too much like she is breaking up with him... Plus, right now, she knows that it won't stay that way. Maybe when she knows how to repress this darker side of herself she could ask him for friendship, but not now... Not when revenge is so fresh in Kol's mind; not whilst she cannot trust herself to stay true to the man she _really, _truly loves.

Kol is confused, and he cannot bring himself to look at the girl that has caused this confusion. These feelings... They are so new and he cannot begin to decipher what they mean. Even as a human Kol had never felt like this – he had never been interested in girls back then. He was too busy chasing after his brother's and hoping that they would include him in their adventures to care about the giggling, pretty things that watched them as they duelled with swords or travelled around in their pack of three or four... And then he became a vampire and the only feeling that women brought out in him were thirst and desire. He has had plenty of women and has _never_ grown attached to _one_ of them, but Evie is a different story...

"Are you just going to pretend that I do not exist, then?" He murmurs, finally looking up at her with an icy gaze, "Go back to Klaus and tell him that you feel nothing for me?"

"No," Evie shakes her head defiantly, "I will tell him the truth... That I feel like I am starting to develop some sort of feelings for you but it is not at all enough to change anything. I'll tell Klaus that I don't want to see you, anymore – that I have to stay away from you so that I can figure all of this out for myself..." Her eyes soften slightly as they meet Kol's once more. "I'm sorry, Kol. I shouldn't have come to you."

She cannot bring herself to look at Kol after saying that. She knows he'll be angry and maybe even _hurt_... So she quickly rushes off to avoid any contact, grabs her overnight bag from the trunk of the rented car and then compels a random man to drive her to the airport. This is actually her first time using her compulsion, but that thought does not register as all she can think about is how foolish she has been. At times like this, Evelyn wishes that she was not a doppelganger of the bitch who originally broke her boyfriends heart. They are all the same person, really – they are all Tatia – and each and every one of the doppelganger's is going to lead two poor, unsuspecting brother's in to a trap. But she does not want to be that girl – she refuses to let this be her destiny.

All of the thoughts about doppelganger's has reminded Evie of Elena. She wonders where her sister is now – is Damon ok? Are they in hiding now? How is Jeremy going to get in touch with Damon's dead friend? She feels a slight prickle of anger aimed at herself as she asks these rhetorical questions – maybe if she had not argued with Elena then she could have asked her... But this is ridiculous, isn't it? How long do they really have to continue ignoring each other? They are supposed to be a _family_. That word has Evelyn tugging her cell phone out of her pocket and hitting one on speed dial.

"Evie," Elena murmurs monotonously as she stares at Jeremy's sleeping frame. Her younger brother is covered from neck-to-toe with a crisp white sheet; his chest rises and falls slowly and steadily as he dreams. In the background, the light trickle of running water can be heard as Damon takes a shower in the room's only bathroom.

"_Hey_," Evelyn's voice is almost drowned out by the background noise on the other end of the phone line, "_I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading home._"

"You called to tell me that you're going home?" Elena asks dubiously, frowning down at her PJ bottoms as she ponders her sister's words, "Why?"

"_I thought you might care,_" Evelyn scoffs and Elena can tell that she has become annoyed once again, "_I must've been mistaken_."

"Evie, I do," Elena pauses as she thinks about what to say next. After their recent argument, talking to Evelyn reminds the human doppelganger of walking on a tightrope – one wrong move and their relationship will go tumbling down. She lets out a tired sigh and continues, "Ok, I am not going to apologize for what I said to you the other night _but_ I want you to believe that I don't really hate you. I was just mad – I didn't mean that at all."

"_Thanks – I guess this is probably the time to tell you that I didn't mean it either. I could never hate you, Elena, but..._" Evie breaks off her sentence before Elena can even attempt to guess what she was going to say next, "_I don't think we should have this conversation over the phone. Can I talk to you when we're back in Mystic Falls?_"

"Sure," Elena nods despite the fact that Evie cannot see her, "Text me when you get home... So I know you're safe."

"_I'm a vampire, Elena_," Evie chuckles, "_I think it'll take more than an airplane to take me down._"

"You never know," Elena replies with a small smile of her own. "Now go catch your plane."

"_Alright, see you later._"

"Bye."

Upon hanging up, Elena allows her cell phone to drop out of her hand and on to her feathery white pillow. Maybe this argument was a good thing, after all – maybe it will give them an opportunity to start over... As annoying as Evie may be and as much as Elena may drive Evelyn crazy they are still sisters – _family _– and that is definitely the most important thing of all. As the doppelganger lays down on her side of the bed she pictures the good times she has shared with Evelyn (the ones she tends to forget about quite often) and, suddenly, she feels as though she is clinging to the twin bond that they share as tightly as she can. Now she knows, no matter what happens, she cannot lose her doppelganger twin. They may be different personality-wise but, at the end of the day, they are one and the same.

...

Alaric grunts as he falls to the ground, soaking his jeans as he lands in a damp patch of filth that has built up for many years inside the cavern that he has just been shoved – unceremoniously – in to by the blonde original. The vampire hunter turns his head slightly to look at her as he slowly and painfully props himself in to a sitting position. Rebekah is standing in the opening of the cave with her arms by her side and her head held high, staring down at him with a sort of serene expression upon her face. Granted, Alaric has not seen much of this Original, but it is not an expression that he is familiar with.

"Get up and fetch me that stake," 'Rebekah' orders, raising her eyebrows slightly as if daring him to go against her wishes, "You know I can't get in." But the way she says that sentence... It sounds as though she is telling a private joke, and Alaric notices this. He knows that this is not Rebekah, but he can play along. He'll have to if he wants to preserve himself, for he has a feeling that this possessor is possibly more dangerous than the bratty teenage girl who usually occupies this body.

"I could easily kill you, now," Alaric sneers, his lips twist in to a grimace as he continues to glare at the pretty blonde; who is now eyeing him with intimidating blue eyes, "So _why_ would I give you the one thing that requires everyone to keep me alive?"

"Are we bargaining now...?" She looks amused, almost patronisingly so. Alaric narrows his eyes slightly in annoyance, "Fine, what's your offer?"

"There's only one stake out there," He explains whilst scrutinising her... This cannot be Rebekah, "Which means only one Original has to die... Help me, and I'll make sure it's not you."

"Tenuous, but points for effort," She smirks, "See I don't want _one_ Original to die..." Her pause brings on a silence that speaks volumes, and when she steps in to the cave and straight through the magical barrier keeping vampire's out of this place Alaric's heart picks up its pace. Fear does not course through him, but he feels _extremely_ vulnerable. "I want them _all_ to die."

He knew it. Alaric _knew_ it! He knew that this was somebody else... But she is in a vampire's body, isn't she – or he? And can he be sure that she does not want him dead too? He has to finish his job, how can he know that she is to be trusted?

_Who is she?_

"How the hell did you do that?" He finds himself asking, still confused as to how she – or he – got in here in the first place.

"It was easy to fool Niklaus but I thought you of all people would understand. After all, my son did use your body at one point."

"You're not Rebekah..." He finally notes aloud.

"No" She pauses, "My name is Esther, and we have a great deal in common."

...

Klaus' eyes are fixated on his most recent work of art as he hears the front door to the Mikaelson's mansion creep open. Rebekah is already asleep so he immediately knows that the intruder is Evelyn, unless any other creature is rude and stupid enough to enter his home and expect to come out of it alive. His eyes flicker away from his painting to the door, and his paintbrush falters in his usually graceful fingers. He is furious with her. He does not want to speak to her right now. Shaking himself out of his silly stupor, the Hybrid continues with his work.

Evelyn kicks off her heels and tosses her jacket over one of the stair case banisters, listening for any sounds of life. From the right wing of the home she can hear a female breathing heavily – that must be Rebekah – and... Ah, there it is. The sound of swirling water. The Doppelganger inhales heavily and begins her ascent up the stairs, considering just _what_ to say to Klaus.

As soon as she reaches the doorway she knows that he is mad at her. He has his back turned to her and he has not made any indication to show that he knows she is back, which he _obviously_ does... But Evie cannot bring herself to feel bad for just getting up and ditching him without a real goodbye. He needs to learn.

"Don't you think this is a little childish?" She asks, leaning against the doorframe with folded arms and narrowed eyes.

He doesn't answer.

"Klaus, _you_ up and left for two days without a real goodbye first, remember? _And_ I helped you with Bonnie before I left. I had to go – Kol was there with Jeremy and you _know_ how impulsive he can be. _God_, he's worse than _you_ that way-"

"I don't want to talk to you," He finally exhales, and Evelyn smiles successfully. She can always get him to talk, "You've made it clear that he is more important."

That wipes the smile off of her lips.

"Wait, are we talking about Jeremy or Kol here? Because if we're talking about Jeremy then _yes_, Klaus, he is. He's my _family-_"

"Get out."

"No!" She snaps, which causes him to throw his brush to the ground and turn to glare at her, "Stop being such a baby, Klaus. I didn't go to Denver to spend time with your stupid brother; can you not just accept that?"

In a flash he is stood in front of her, trapping her against the wall and leaning in to press his nose in to her collar bone. She listens silently as he inhales her scent, and then meets his furious eyes as he pulls away.

"Don't insult my instincts," He fumes quietly. Dangerously. "I could smell him on you from across the room."

"Nothing happened!" She stammers, "Klaus, nothing happened I _swear_! I love _you_, I would never..." She can see that he doesn't believe her. His cold blue gaze says it all. God, is he really _that_ paranoid? Does he truly believe that she is having an affair with his _brother_? "Klaus, I'm telling you the truth."

"Granted," He smirks bitterly, "But not the whole truth." She releases a pent-up breath and, after a moment of staring in to his eyes, she nods slowly.

"I'm not going to lie to you. I'll come out and say it. I feel something for him. I don't know what it is, though. But what I _do_ know is that I love _you_..." She laughs bitterly, "When are you going to see that I'm not like the others, Nik? I don't _want _anybody else! Not Kol, not _anyone_..." She gazes down at his unmoving, full, pink lips with a hint of desire in her chocolate eyes, "You're not perfect, but I love _you_. You're arrogant and sociopathic and _immensely irritating_ when you show your stupid possessive werewolf side, but I still love you..." He is still silent, although his eyes have softened by a small fraction. She raises her arms to wrap them around his neck and leans up on to her tip-toes, "And I missed you."

Evelyn presses a soft kiss to Klaus' lips, and he finally realizes that nothing did happen between them. If it had then the linger of his brother's scent would be far stronger than what it is... But she has feelings for him, and he has feelings for her. This information _infuriates_ him... But she did not do what all of the other Doppelgangers have done before her, did she? This trip was Kol's opportunity to have her... So why didn't he? He is not usually one to wait for a woman's permission; it is most out of character to respect a girl's wishes when it comes to him.

And here Evie is, telling him that he is the only one for her and he is _still_ doubting it. He wishes that he could just shrug it all off and say _whatever will be, will be_, but he could never truly do that. If Evelyn does decide that she does not want to spend her eternity with Klaus... The thought is unthinkable. He would not allow it, and if she is not smart enough to realize that then it is her own loss. With a soft groan of defeat the Hybrid slides his arms around his girlfriend's waist and pulls her close.

"You're lucky I love you," He mumbles against her lips before taking her up to their bedroom.

_It's good to be back_.

...

Months and months ago, Evelyn Gilbert had a fantastic life. Both Elena and herself were very alike – popular, loved by everyone... But when Evie's father disappeared she turned in to someone who everyone came to dislike. She lost her status as Queen bee and became the girl no one talked to. Once the doppelganger went to Mystic Falls and made a snap decision to move there she presumed that no one would care for her disappearance – that they would just presume that she moved away because there were too many memories of her father at her home in Charlotte.

But one girl still cares.

Amelia Sanchez; a hazel-eyed, blonde bombshell who used to be Evelyn's best friend and biggest confident. Out of all the bitchy girls that they were friends with, Evie knew she could trust Amelia and Amelia knew that she could trust Evie... After she went on her downward spiral from Queen to peasant Amelia ended up taking over the throne but not a day went by when she didn't feel like apologizing to her former friend. They never fell out – she just stopped speaking to everyone and, when she mysteriously vanished, Amelia was devastated about being left behind. She tried calling Evie but she must have changed her number. She tried finding her quite a few times but where should she start looking? She hasn't logged on to Facebook since she was still popular and she has never been one for Twitter... So where could she be? Amelia casts her eyes out of her bedroom window to the vacant house across the street... The one where Evelyn _used_ to live.

Today, Amelia finally found a lead. As she was sitting a mock S.A.T she realized that Evie must go to school _somewhere_; she may have been Miss Popular but she always cared about her grades... She is almost positive that would never change. After the exam she escaped the cliché that pretend to adore her and went to the school's front desk. She asked to see the principle and then... Well, then she did something that would certainly get her expelled from her royal status. She opened up to him. She told him about how much she misses Evelyn and begged him to tell her where she had exchanged to. At first the principle kindly explained that they are not allowed to do that, so then she told him about how much she hates being Miss Popular and that all she wants is to have her one true friend back... He took pity on her; he finally gave in and told her where her best friend went off too for her senior year.

Slowly and subconsciously, Amelia slides her fingers in to the pocket of her shorts and presses the tips against the crisp, folded piece of paper that she has already memorised. On the paper is the name of Evie's new school – _Mystic Falls High School_. Amelia really doesn't want to waste anymore time; she picks up her iPad from her nightstand and types the school's name in to Google. Today, she will find a map to Evie's new town, and as soon as she gets the chance she will drive over there and then kick her ass for just getting up and leaving without a goodbye.


	28. Do Not Go Gentle

Is it just her imagination, or is Evelyn _always_ mad at Klaus?

She doesn't feel very much like decorating for some stupid school dance, today. She doesn't feel like drinking away her sorrows at the Grill, either. So she has settled on a blend of the two – drink at school. She has been caught by two teachers so far but that was nothing that a little bit of compelling couldn't fix. Her hooded, doe-like eyes scan the crowd currently setting up for the 1920's school dance. Jeremy and Matt are both hanging stars from the ceiling and Elena and Caroline are both... _Ugh_, heading her way with angry scowls on their faces.

Figures.

"Evie," Caroline splutters, her blue-eyes are widened in shock as her air becomes tinted with the scent of Evelyn's bourbon, "What're you _doing_?"

"Having a drink," She sighs, staring off at the far wall of the room. She is so out-of-it that she does not have a single, fast paced vampiric reaction to Elena snatching the empty bottle from her hand.

"Did you drink the _whole thing_?" Elena yells, looking in to the bottle and then glaring at her twin sister furiously. "What the _hell_? Why?"

"Because it takes the murderous edge away when I'm angry," She sighs, "And it makes me numb. I'd prefer to stay numb."

Both Elena and Caroline immediately share concerned looks with one another. This is not like Evie at all, and upon realizing that their fury momentarily diminishes. If someone upsets her or pisses her off... Well, you know how she is. So why is she acting like _Damon_? Well, a watered-down Damon, anyway. He usually drinks _and_ kills when angry. Caroline looks around for a moment to check if everything is going steadily – she immediately spots the _appalling_ layout for the pictures stand and shakes her head.

"Elena, get Evie in to the girls bathroom. I'll catch up with you in a minute."

Elena nods and places the empty bottle on a table besides an ugly chandelier. With a tug of Evie's arm the pair have her on her feet. Evelyn is so drunk that Elena has to throw her arm around her shoulders and support her sister's weight, but after a moment of bickering the two doppelgangers manage to make their way in to the bathrooms. As soon as Elena has released Evie the vampire leans against a tiled wall and slides down to a sitting position on the ground. Despite the blur of her surroundings, Evie raises her head to meet Elena's furious eyes. That is when the guilt begins to settle in. How could she do this? She was supposed to talk things out with Elena today, so why the _hell_ did she get drunk _at school_?

"I'm sorry, 'Lena," She mumbles, staring up hopefully at her sister, "Klaus s'leavin'."

"_What_!?"

The door opens and Caroline walks in. She looks down at Evie's sad features and then at Elena's shocked expression, and curiosity immediately kicks in.

"What's up?"

"Um... I _think_ Evie just said that Klaus is leaving."

"_What_?" Caroline turns to Evie, "What happened?"

"He wants more hybrids," Evie whimpers, "He wants to take 'Lena and I said no. Said I'd stay and he's not taking 'Lena," The hurt begins to kick in again. It turns out that the alcohol didn't make her as numb as she had hoped, after all. "Said that I was bein' childish. Fought again," Tears well up in her chocolate eyes as she looks up at the two girls helplessly, "Always fighting. Sick of fighting. Want him to b-b-be happy with me and not need other h-h-hybrids."

"Aww, Evie," Caroline cooes, kneeling down beside her and patting her shoulder comfortingly, "He is happy with you."

"Wrong," Evie shakes her head. Some of her loose chocolate curls stick to her damp cheeks, "You know you're lying. He cares about Hybrids more. Even cares about them more than 'Bekah."

Caroline looks up at Elena once more, and this breaks the doppelganger from her dazed thoughts. Elena bites her lip nervously as she meets Caroline's eyes again. She does not really feel like comforting Evie – they still haven't _really_ made up from their last argument – but she is pretty sure that if their roles were reversed then Evie would be doing everything she could to help her... With a defeated sigh she pushes her stubborn side to the back of her mind and kneels down to pull Evie in to her arms.

"Sorry 'Lena," Evie sobs, "Don't want to fight anymore. I care too much."

"We'll talk about that when you're sober," Elena mutters, "But right now we need to get you home."

"No," She shakes her head, "Your house."

"That's what I meant," Elena grumbles irritably, silently glowering at Klaus for that one. "Ok. Car, is it ok if we just leave?"

"Yeah, sure," Caroline smiles sympathetically, "We've got plenty of hands on duty anyway. Get a few of blood bags in her system and she'll sober up in no time."

"Ok... Er, could you carry her to my car? She can't really walk, so..."

Caroline rolls her eyes, "Oh Evie, what've you done to yourself?"

"Shurrup," The vampire slurs in response, eliciting an exasperated sigh from the blonde as she picks her up. Elena holds the door until Caroline has Evelyn out of the room and the trio exit.

...

"_Pack your bags," Klaus says, biting his lower lip for a brief moment as he carefully adds minute details to his latest work of art, "We're off."_

"_Wait," Evie's whole body stiffens, "What?"_

"_We're leaving," He replies impatiently, "I need more hybrids. We'll just grab your sister, get Rebekah and then we'll be out of this silly little town for good."_

_Evelyn stares at Klaus for a moment, completely shocked by what she is hearing. She thought that he understood... She thought that he may consult her about something like this rather than just saying 'pack your bags and we'll get lost.' Does he really believe that her opinion means nothing in this?_

"_Klaus," Evie murmurs, watching him with calculating eyes to gauge his reaction, "I'm not leaving."_

_His painting hand falls to his side, and he fights to keep his sudden burst of rage in check. Rebekah has still not returned with that dagger – which has him suspicious enough – and now he is terrified of his mother getting a hold of the woman he loves. He needs his hybrid army for protection, not only for himself but for Evie and Rebekah, too. No one knows where Esther is, Finn is already dead... He cannot lose anybody else. But he knows that telling Evelyn this will not sway her in any way. His hoping that she would just blindly agree was foolish: Evie is not Rebekah. As stubborn as that girl can be she always trusts Klaus blindly. Klaus sometimes forgets how alike he and Evelyn truly are, for neither of them will trust anyone without a great effort. He just hoped that maybe mentioning that Elena was coming along would make it easier for her to leave town... But of course she is against the idea. She is _always_ against his ideas._

"_Of course you're not," He spits sarcastically, turning around go give her a sarcastic smile, "You wouldn't, would you. You would just sit here and wait for my mother to come back for us all... And for what, exactly? A frayed attachment to that silly human?"_

"_Look who's talking!" She shouts, laughing in disbelief at his words, "You understand the tie family can have to you so why the _hell_ are you expecting me to snatch Elena from the people who mean the most to her and drag her along? I'm not going, and over my _DEAD BODY _is Elena going!"_

"_My mother will kill you anyway," He warns her; his eyes are pleading despite his irritated tone, but Evelyn doesn't notice._

"_I don't care!" She shouts, narrowing her eyes at him warningly, "I'm staying, Elena's staying and if you cared about me you'd stay too."_

_God, how quickly feelings can change between them. It may be due to their vampiric enhances, but one second they are completely lost in love and the next they are throwing all different kinds of insults at one another. But he loves her, and this is beginning to throw him in to a state of panic. Evelyn has reached a stage where he cannot force her to do anything. With his siblings he would simply dagger them and cart them along, but he cannot dagger her. She is not an Original... He cannot force her. Yet he still needs Elena. His hybrids are of the upmost importance right now._

"_You're being _dramatic_!" He growls, "This is not a silly little fairytale, _sweetheart_, this is real life. You may be a newborn vampire and although you feel almighty and invincible you are as weak as a human at this stage. You. Can. Still. Die!"_

"_Don't you _dare_ try and tell me what I can and can't handle, Klaus! I think I've handled enough of your crap to get me through anything, so..."_

_He has her pinned at the wall in a heartbeat. His hands are on her forearms, keeping them locked in place, and their eyes meet – onyx on onyx as she hisses icily at the Hybrid in front of her. He growls back at her in an attempt to release some of the pent up anger. He does not want to hurt her. But Evelyn already feels hurt by the fact that, after all this time, he would still use violence in an attempt to control her. The time that he fed on her against her will still terrifies her even now, and her darkened eyes swell with tears, which takes him off guard. This is her split second to act – she throws him backwards where he crashes in to a nearby couch. He snarls in fury, but by the time he looks up she is already gone._

...

"So Klaus is going to try and _take me away_?" Elena yells, her eyes becoming wide with an odd mixture of fear and anger, "Can he really not just... Just leave me _alone_?"

"Dunno," Evie replies, nursing her coffee as she massages her temple. Her head is throbbing now that she is coming down from her drunken state, "But I won't let him."

"Evie..." Elena sighs, turning away from her sister with uncertainty. The vampire stops massaging her head and glances at her twin with confusion.

"What?"

Elena turns back to Evelyn with a doubtful look and a soothing voice, "I feel so thankful that you want to protect me. I know there's no use in getting you to leave Klaus because at the end of the day you are in love with him, but... But I don't think that when it comes to me... Or anything you ask him not to do... He is really ever going to listen to you."

Hearing somebody say that out loud knocks the wind from Evelyn's lungs. She shakes her head and grits her teeth, but as she goes to stand a wave of nausea pulses through her and she ends up falling backwards on to the couch with a heavy groan. Her previous pain is mixed with something else now. Something she has never really thought about when it has come to Klaus – doubt.

She has always been so sure that he is in love with her. That despite everything that he does to cause her or her friends pain he will still be there at the end of the day to whisper his apologies and reassure her that he is changing, and this is who he has been for so long that it is hard to break out of this destructive cycle... And she has always understood that and told him that she will be here, always and forever, to help him... But now...?

Evelyn is in love with Klaus. There is not an ounce of doubt in her mind when it comes to her own feelings, but his? Look at the way he treats her. Granted, she uses violence with him too, but hers is harmless really. She slaps him, but he pins her down as though she is merely another pawn in his cruel game. Kept under his thumb. Controlled... And if Evie is anything it is _not_ controlled. Even her father could not do that, much less her _boyfriend_... She would ask herself why he does it, but she already knows the answer.

This is just who Klaus is.

Selfish, tragic, sociopathic... Fiercely protective, not only of himself but of the people he cares for... And she does understand that – really – but he still has so much to learn. _She_ still has _so much_ to learn...

"I have tried for so long to deny that," She finally says, breaking both herself and Elena from their jumbled thoughts, "That he doesn't listen to me. I have tried to force myself in to thinking that he cares about my feelings for other people and because he loves me he won't hurt you..." She shakes her head and looks at Elena with a pained expression, "I've been so _stupid-_"

"No, Evie," Elena says, reaching over to hug her sister, "You haven't been stupid. You're just in love, and I understand what that can do. It makes us think irrationally. I mean look at us," She laughs humourlessly, "Me a human blood bag, you a _vampire_..." She pulls back to shake her head, "All of this because of our irrationality. And it's not that I regret it, because I don't..." The human sighs heavily, "I just wonder sometimes... What would have happened if I had never got together with Stefan, you know?"

"I could tell you that," Evie replies, "Dad would still be here, meaning that I'd probably still live in Charlotte. I would be at school right now, back with my friends, playing the role of little-miss-popular and you would be doing whatever you were doing before. Jeremy wouldn't be able to see ghosts, I wouldn't be stuck loving a Hybrid sociopath and you'd be living an ordinary, human life..." She sighs, shaking her head, "And as nice as all that sounds, I just _can't_ imagine life without Klaus anymore."

"It'll be harder for you," Elena murmurs, watching Evie hang her head in her hands as she speaks, "You have an eternity to live, but I only have what I've been given. And I _like_ that, because I doubt that I'm cut out for the vampire life. See, I can imagine moving on and getting married, having children and raising a family..." She wraps her arm around Evie's shoulders, "And I feel sorry for you."

"Thanks," She whispers, her throat becomes raspy with emotion, "All of that sounds so nice. I may have got used to this vampire thing quickly but I'd still give everything that I have to be human again."

They sit in silence for a moment, mulling their lives over. One so different to another. Evelyn finishes her coffee and finds herself more-or-less sobered up after her drunken tirade a couple of hours ago and Elena's thoughts fall to Stefan and Damon, and what happened back in Denver.

"You should ask Stefan to go to the dance with you."

Elena's eyes widen as she turns to look at Evie, "_What_?"

"You heard me," Evelyn smirks, rolling her eyes, "Go on. Ask him."

"Evie... Stefan _killed_ you-"

"And Klaus killed you," The vampire reminds her, "And don't start with the whole 'but I'm still human' argument, ok? I'm saying that I won't hate you if you choose to be with Stefan again. Consider us completely even, though, because I don't want to fight over this anymore. Klaus is a dick and Stefan is a dick, but we love either one anyway and we'll always be here for each other no matter _what_ happens: deal? Because I'm sorry, and I don't want to fight... You and Jeremy are the only family that I have left and it's just tiring me out."

"Ok," Elena nods, smiling slightly, "I'll think about it."

"And I'm ok with that," Evie replies. Another thoughtful silence ensues before Elena asks:

"So, what are you going to do? Now that Klaus is leaving?"

"I don't know," Evie shrugs, "Now that I've sobered up and thought about it I'm not sure he will. I mean sure he'll _want_ too but in Klaus' ideal world you, me and his BFF nineteen-twenties Stefan would willingly hop on a plane with him and create hundreds of hybrids, but Klaus can't get to you as long as you stay inside so..." She shrugs, "I doubt he'll leave without you. Plus, I haven't seen Rebekah all day, and he won't leave without her."

"True," Elena says, reaching over to grab her phone from the chest of drawers behind the couch they are sat on. Evelyn's eyes begin to twinkle mischievously as she watches her sister reply to a text.

"Give Stefan a call," She says, earning Elena's attention once more. Once what Evie just said to her registers completely a blush colours her cheeks.

"Evie, I don't know..."

"Do you still love him?" She asks, raising her eyebrows expectantly as she awaits an answer. After a moment of staring at one another Elena nods, and Evelyn smirks successfully, "Then call him up and ask him to that stupid dance, before I do it for you."

Elena laughs, "You could _never_ pass as me!"

"Bet I could," Evie scoffs, "But I'd rather see you do this than have to do it myself."

She sighs, "Alright, fine."

...

Niklaus' hands drop down to his side once he has finally managed to do his bow tie and his eyes land on his cell phone once more. He wanted to leave – he really did – but Rebekah managed to keep him here for a night longer. She has worked hard on this dance and wants to get to enjoy it, she had said, but he has not actually _seen_ her since she handed him that white oak stake earlier on... He tells himself that she is probably already at the school, but he is indecisive as to whether or not he truly believes that.

He thought that Evelyn may have called by now. She was furious when she left the house, but the least she could do is apologize for hitting him. He does not believe that it was necessary, to be honest, and if he is going to this silly little dance then he wants to be dancing with her. She can be angry with him later.

_**Klaus Mikaelson**__  
>I'll be at the dance.<em>

Evelyn's eyes scan the five-worded text she just received from Klaus before a scoff escapes her. She is still curled up on the couch of the Gilbert home, a mug of heated blood in her hands with its container tossed on to the coffee table. Elena went back to help with the dance some more and told Evie to stay put. Since changing the house ownership to Bonnie's name, Klaus can no longer get in to the house, so she'll be safe from his biting words and manhandling in here from now on. Safe. Safe from him.

Should she even be thinking of it like that?

The vampire tosses her cell aside and allows her eyes to fall to the contents of her novelty mug. She wishes that these doubts would stop, but it seems that they have cast a plague upon her mind. It took Nik so long to gain her trust and then only seconds for one little piece of doubt to destroy that. Her heightened emotions make it harder to deal with yet that much harder to let go; the confusion of it all brings the familiar prickle of tears to her eyes.

It is times like this when she wishes that her Dad was still around. He always knew the right thing to say or do when she felt lost and confused... Despite having other people around she still feels alone. These people have grown up with one another, and Evelyn is the odd one out. Bonnie, Elena, Jeremy, Caroline... All of them can recall the other when they were playing in sandpits, but Evelyn was torn away from that life on the day that he chose her over Elena.

"Why me?" She whispers brokenly, allowing the tears to glide down her cheeks. No sobs escape her as she allows herself this moment of weakness. She decides now that this is the last time – she has sworn to herself time and time again that she will no longer cry for what she never had (or for anything else) and that she will be strong, but this time she truly means it. For the first time before travelling to Mystic Falls, Evelyn feels homesick. She misses her old life; her Dad, her bedroom, her friends, her school, the old tree house that she used to just sit in and talk to her friends in for hours on end, her first prom dress, the way Corey's eyes scrunched up as he laughed, the way Amelia would tease her for never letting her hair down and having some fun...

She misses being human. She misses it more than anything in the world. She doesn't want to feel this pain anymore.

She hates Stefan for this... But none of this would have really happened if Klaus hadn't have fed off of her beforehand. But, then again, she did ask for it. Not that she had expected him to do it, but she does understand the temptation of these heightened emotions now that she is experiencing them herself. She wonders if she would still hate him if she had never been turned; her lack of understanding may have drove her away. She might have left town, perhaps, and gone back home...

_Don't be stupid_, she scolds herself. She would have never left Elena here. Being away from her causes an odd sort of sensation; it is like the further away she is the more she wants to see her. Even as a human she experienced that... _It's probably some sort of witchy curse_. Stupid witches. Maybe she should blame them for her pain instead. They _did_ start the vampire race and all...

_**Evelyn Gilbert  
><strong>__Tell someone who cares._

Niklaus chuckles now as he settles on to the foot of his bed, grinning down at the text she just sent. He can picture her pouty little face now. He bets that she is sat curled up somewhere with a warm mug of blood, exhausting herself with all of her life problems. She always seems to do that when she argues with someone – either that or attempt to fix it. But something tells him that this may not be something so easily fixed. He'll try anyway.

_**Klaus Mikaelson  
><strong>__Stop being dramatic, love. I'm sorry, alright? I'll see you there._

Evelyn is so infuriated by that final text that, with an animalistic growl, she throws her now empty mug in to the fireplace. The ceramic pottery shatters, and splinters end up everywhere, but she couldn't give a damn if she tried. He seems to think that toying around with her is some kind of game, and she is not standing for it anymore. No, if he truly loves her then he needs to stop. She needs to teach him a lesson... An idea hits her almost immediately, and with the graceful speed that only a vampire can achieve she leaps over to the couch, grabs her cell and hits five on speed dial.

"_What'd you want?" _Damon asks curiously, "_I didn't even know you had my number._"

"Oh Damon, you're so funny," She replies sarcastically whilst climbing the staircase, "I need a favour."

"_And why would I do that? If you hadn't realized, I hate you._"

"But you hate Klaus more..." She mutters vaguely, grabbing one of the two dresses hidden beneath a black zipped bag from Elena's room and taking it to her own. She can almost _hear_ the curiosity emanating from the older Salvatore brother. They are too easy to manipulate; their buttons are so _obvious_ and are just _dying_ to be pressed.

"_What is it_?"

"Go to the dance with me tonight."

"_What?_" He asks, laughing in disbelief at her proposition, "_Are you serious? You want me to help you get back at him for hurting your _feelings_?"_

"Oh c'mon, a jealous Klaus will be good fun for you. Do you want to piss him off or _not_?" She asks emotionlessly. It takes a moment, but he does respond in the end.

"_I'll pick you up at eight_."

After hanging up, Evie smiles deviously and unzips her black, tasselled, thigh-length dress for the dance complete with a pearl chocker, a black feather boa and some black pumps. She will go to the dance tonight, she will dance with Damon, and she will have a good time... She just hopes that she can explain to Elena that she means nothing by it... Although it is ridiculous that she is even thinking about that in the first place, considering that she is going to the dance with Damon's _brother_.

Oh, damn Mystic Falls problems.

_**Evelyn Gilbert  
><strong>__You will._

...

"Have you heard about the situation with Ric?" Damon asks his date before she can even get one foot in to the car. After her phone call with the older vampire earlier on she spent the rest of her time focusing on getting ready and teasing Elena about her date with Stefan. In a friendly way, of course. She has been in quite a good mood (aside from her fallout with Klaus) until Damon brought Alaric up.

"No, what's up?"

Damon flashes Evelyn a glance of the herbs he found in Alaric's apartment. The herbs that Alaric _should_ have been taking. The vampire's eyes close in annoyance as she hangs her head in her hands, not bothering to fasten her seatbelt as he sets off at a speed the cops would be disgraced at down the road.

"For _God's_ sake, can't we have _five minutes_ of _peace_ in this _damn_ town?"

"Apparently not, but let's not cry about it now. This can't mean anything good so we need to warn Stefan and the others. I have a sneaky suspicion that the Alaric we see next won't be up for a bourbon at the Grill."

"Is now _really_ the time for jokes?" She huffs, pulling her cell out of her purse to check for any new messages. There are none... Anger swells up in her for a brief moment as she wonders what Klaus is up to. He should have said something better to make up for what he did – does he really not care at all?

The dance is in full swing when Evelyn and Damon finally arrive. Teens are throwing their bodies around to the music, drinking punch, singing along to some of the familiar older tunes and joking around with their dates and/or friends and doing all of this whilst dressed up in suits and tasselled dresses from the roaring twenties. The party would be a happy place for Evie if they didn't have the problems at hand as a distraction... And her uncertainty with Klaus.

"May as well enjoy it while it lasts," The Salvatore mutters, causing Evie to pause in her search for her sister and Stefan. Evie's eyes don't even get to meet Damon's before he has her sweeped off her feet in a fast-paced dance.

"Damon!" She hisses, "_So_ not the time!"

"Oh, live for once!" Damon smirks, "You spend so much time worrying about your hybrid lover that you forget to do that."

"And why do you care?" She asks, narrowing her eyes at him, "You hate me, remember?"

"Maybe," He shrugs, "But hate can get a little tiring sometimes."

"Well, keep on the lookout. We don't want to miss finding them, and we still have Ric to worry about—whoa!" She shrieks as he suddenly twirls her at a speed that has a couple of the other students watching them suspiciously. She should be mad, really, but the look on her face causes her to break out in to giggles.

"It's not like we can't party and look at the same time," Damon chuckles, "We'll find them soon enough." The music begins to slow, though, and Evelyn finds it extremely awkward as Damon pulls her closer. She meets his eyes, and she can tell from the evil glint in them that he enjoys watching her squirm.

"Remind me _not_ to stay with you for my eternity," She mutters, "You're far too mean."

"Aww," Damon pouts, "Little Evie is all..." Damon's face becomes serious as he drops his arms from Evie and takes her hand, "I've found them." Without further ado he proceeds to pull her along through the swarm of people... They had been dancing on the outskirts beforehand, but concealed in a crowd full of prey like they are now... She inhales and the sweet, metallic scent of human blood clouds her senses. Her knees weaken slightly, but she continues to follow Damon. But their necks are pounding with blood; she can see the arteries dancing beneath their skin. Seducing her... Damon's hand is gone. He must be talking to... To... Well, you know.

A boy in the lower grade to them is stood by the wall and watching her with suggestive eyes. He won't mind. Just one little bite... She's never fed from a human before, and he smells so, so good... She could turn it all off now. The pain of the uncertainty with Klaus, the grief of losing her Dad, her self-pity that was kicked off by her vampirism... She could be a ripper. She could embrace her new life rather than focus on the past. She is not Evelyn Gilbert anymore anyway. She's not that popular kid from Charlotte. She is a demon. A _vampire_...

"Don't scream," She whispers as she closes the distance between herself and the boy, meeting his eyes with a compelling gaze, "This won't hurt. Don't move. Don't run."

She presses her nose to his throat and inhales, shivering in delight as the scent of his warm blood as it floods her senses. Her fangs retract, and the tiny black veins begin to dance under her now blackened eyes. She licks her teeth in bliss before biting, sinking them clumsily in to the boys neck. She didn't catch his artery but blood is still blood.

"Evie?" A familiar voice calls, pulling the vampire from her thoughts. She pulls away from the boy in disbelief, and as soon as she sees those familiar hazel eyes she realizes the extent of her mistake.

Amelia's eyes widen at the sight of blood pouring from the boy's throat and her best friend's lips; at the fangs peaking through her drawn-back lips, the veins below her dark eyes... And she does the first thing that comes to mind.

She runs.


	29. I Cannot Go

"Amelia!" Evelyn gasps; her stomach constricts almost painfully as a nausea sensation brings bile to her throat. She had not expected _that_ at all. But Evelyn cannot decide which factor in all of this is making her the most fearful - the fact that Amelia caught her drinking somebodies blood or the fact that she lost control.

She has _never_ lost control.

Evie can see flashes of worried eyes as she shoves her way through the crowd, desperately trying to cut through the mass of bodies the way that Amelia did. She has to find her, to compell her to forget. She could not live with herself if she knew her best friend was mentally scarred from seeing something so disgusting. _Disgusting_. The doppelganger's stomach drops. _I'm disgusting_. The humans surrounding her must think that something is terribly wrong; perhaps she is throwing up blood. If only they knew.

She makes it out of the crowd and continues to the entrance of the dance. There she sees a flash of honey blonde hair, and she knows from years of familiarity that it belongs to her best and closest friend.

"Lia!" She shouts, cursing the fact that she has to run at a 'normal' pace right now. If only there were no humans around. She continues after her, keeping her eyes locked on her friend as she rushes as far away as possible. But, after a certain point, Evelyn finds that she has ran smack in to an invisible barricade; the confused vampire barely keeps her balance from the sudden contact of her body hitting the see-through wall. It takes her a moment, but when she looks down at the ground she sees the source of her 'cage'. Salt. Magic. A witch has been here.

"How much are you betting that this was the work of my wonderful mother?" A smooth, sarcastic voice asks from behind. Evelyn is not fooled by the calm waves of his speech, because she knows that there is a ruthless undercurrent of anger just waiting for somebody to fall prey to his sweet surface. Not only that, but she's still got human blood around her mouth. She doesn't want anyone else to see her like this.

"I don't want to talk to you right now," She snaps, attempting to regain some of her previous anger, "Go away."

"Now, now, love. You know that's not going to happen," He chuckles.

"It was 'going to' this morning. What's changed?" She mutters wryly, wiping the smirk clean off his face. She can feel anger radiating off him. A short silence passes between them and Evelyn does not turn around. He doesn't attempt to force her to.

"Rebekah wanted to come to the dance," He murmurs, "And don't start shouting at me for it, because she has agreed to leave. She just wanted to stay for tonight... We're leaving as soon as it's over."

"Looks like she's already left," Evie chuckles bitterly, "I haven't seen her all night."

"You're not the only one..." He sighs, frowning at the salt covering the perimeter of the school's grounds, "I'm starting to regret staying."

She turns, now. Forgetting about the blood on her lips. If she had a pulse it would be racing with the pain and anger battling to control her. The hybrid's eyes widen in surprise at the state of her, but he does not get time to ask.

"So that would just be it, would it?" She growls, "You'd just up and leave, after everything? Doesn't it bother you that I won't be with you?"

"Come on, Evelyn, of _course_ it bothers me!" He snaps, narrowing his eyes angrily at her, "I wanted you to come with me but you were being stubborn. Make your mind up, love, you either want to be with me or you don't. When this spell is broken I am getting the hell out of this town, and you can either come with me or stay and get killed. I care - I care so much that I want to sweep you out of here without your consent - but what kind of man would I be if I forced my love to do what _I_ want? It's your decision, not mine."

Evelyn gazes up at him, surprised by his answer. She had never really thought of it that way, mainly because she has never associated 'Klaus' and 'her consent' in the same sentence. And that has never really seemed to matter to him before.

"Well, it sounded like you were just telling me to leave with you, so thanks a lot for the mixed signals," She begins, but her mind has been clouded with what he told her beforehand and she finds that her point is becoming more and more invalid. After a moment of stuttering she finds something to say, "And what about Elena, huh?"

"I'll be back for her," He smirks, "Just as I'll be back for you."

"She's _not_ a blood bag," Evie hisses.

"Hey, love," He says, holding his hands up defensively, "You're the one who's looking for a reason to continue this argument... But there is one thing you're forgetting in all of this."

"What's that?" She asks, folding her arms.

"We're going to live forever," He murmurs, closing the distance between them and placing his hands a little below her shoulders, meeting her eyes, "We can spend some of that time apart, but at the end of the day - or decade, or even century," He smiles at his own joke, "We'll find our way back to one another... I love you, Evelyn, and you know perfectly well that I want to spend the rest of our lives together, but I cannot force you to join me. If you really want to stay here then it is your choice, and you need to remember that my leaving is my choice. I cannot force you to join me just as you cannot force me to stay."

She glares at him, defeated, "Stop making sense."

He chuckles, "Sorry, sweetheart, but my logic is too..."

"Logical?" She asks, smiling as his lips turn up in to a grin. She wants to argue against his point but she knows that she can't - it makes sense. She is going to miss him, and she is angry at him because he is going to leave her for a while, but they will find their way back to one another. The only reason he was mad in return was because his mother is still on the prowl and he is terrified that she is going to get her hands on the woman he loves, but he cannot force Evie to come along. "Don't you want to take your mother down?" She finally asks.

"When I know how to," He nods, "But she is powerful, as much as I hate to admit it."

"She's a bitch," Evie mumbles, leaning in to Klaus so that she can rest her cheek on his blazer-covered shoulder, "Making you leave like this."

"She wants me to be unhappy. The best way to make sure of that is to take me away from you."

"Now you're just being cheesy," She mutters, earning a chuckle from him.

"Hmm, I have my moments. Anyway, how did you manage to get blood on your lips?"

"Shit!" She gasps, jumping away from him and reaching a hand to where the blood of that boy has now dried on her skin, "Klaus, I-I did... I fed... I-"

"Calm down, sweetheart," He says, watching her with a concerned gaze, "How did it happen?"

"I was inside with Damon. We were looking for Stefan and Elena, and we were packed in with the other students. The blood... The scent... I hadn't fed since earlier, and it wasn't much. Klaus, I was so hungry... I couldn't think straight. He was watching me and I just compelled him and fed. But my best friend - she's here - she came from Charlotte. She must have come to find me, and now... Klaus, she saw. She knows what I am."

Nik watches as her heightened emotions overload her sense of control. One moment she was fine, the next she is falling to the ground in a flood of tears of sadness and guilt and fear. Sadness for her position, guilt for what she has done and fear for her friendship. She has not seen Amelia since she left Charlotte, but she still considers her to be one of her best friends. Klaus kneels beside his girlfriend and pulls her in to him, cradling her head against his chest as he strokes her hair soothingly.

"Shh, Shh," He hushes, "Evie, love, it's going to be ok. Now, is the boy dead?"

"N-No," She whimpers, "I compelled him to stay inside, though. He's probably still there somewhere."

"Evelyn, hush, love," He whispers, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, "It's going to be alright. I am going to go and fix this, and you are going to go in to the toilets and clean yourself up... Look at me," He tilts her chin up so her eyes meet his, "I know you believe that you have done wrong, but just remember one thing. You didn't kill him."

She knows how to respond to that immediately, but she restrains herself from doing so. Mentioning that she would have if Amelia had not shown up would not make this situation any easier. Instead, she simply nods and allows Klaus to help her to her feet and guide her back inside.

"And after we meet up again we're going to hunt down your little witchy friend," He mumbles icily, glaring at the sea of students they are about to enter.

...

Stefan, Damon, Klaus, Evelyn, Jamie and Jeremy all watch Bonnie with a keen interest as she mutters in a language not one of them understands. This is most odd for Jamie, who is not used to _any_ of this 'mystical stuff', but he keeps his mouth firmly shut at the knowledge that he is currently surrounded by a handful of vampires. Evie sighs tiredly and turns to watch Klaus, who is stood rigidly leaning against one of the desks in the classroom that the group are currently occupying. He's unhappy, that much is obvious. She finds herself wishing that he had left sooner, now, because now she has his life to worry about. God, why did they even argue about this in the first place?

"She does this all the time, right?" Jamie asks, looking extremely out of place as he watches Bonnie with concern. No one answers.

"What's taking so long?" Klaus drones, earning an irritated glare from the witch, "All boundary spells have a loophole," He reminds her with a 'kind' smile. Before she can respond the classroom door swings open, and a panting Matt quickly enters the room.

"People are walking right out of the dance past the barrier," He says, glancing around at everyone in the room. Jeremy stands up from where he was previously leaning against the teacher's desk.

"If Matt and I can leave we can stop Esther, we've just got to find out where she is."

"It's suicide, Jeremy," Stefan replies, shaking his head.

"This is _Elena_ we're talking about!" Evie replies, turning to glare at Stefan, "If someone would have _told me_ that Esther was planning on taking my sister away then maybe I could have-"

"Done _what_?" Stefan snaps, smirking cruelly at the doppelganger, "You were too busy dancing with my brother to take any notice."

"What?" Klaus hisses, turning a jealous glare to the oldest Salvatore brother before looking at Evelyn questioningly.

"So not how it sounds, he's just a dick."

"GUYS!" Jeremy yells, "Stop _arguing_! Look, I'm on Evie's side, if Elena's in trouble then we need to-"

"Oh," Klaus sighs in faux-exhaustion before rushing to Jamie at vampire speed and lifting him from the ground by his throat. Everyone turns to look with wide eyes whilst the hybrid turns to Bonnie and beams, "Now work your magic, witch, or I'll start killing people you fancy."

"Let him go!" Bonnie stammers, glaring at Klaus with a burning hatred. How she despises these vampires...

"Klaus!" Evie growls, walking over to place a hand on the arm holding Jamie. He turns to look down at it but does nothing to release the boy.

"If she wants him in one piece she needs to get us out of here," He says smoothly, much like he did earlier on. Stefan steps forward, watching Klaus with a trepid gaze.

"Come on, Klaus, Bonnie doesn't give a damn about us. The only reason she's helping right now is to help Caroline and Tyler. If you start killing the people she cares about she'll tell us all to go to hell."

Klaus turns to look at Stefan for a brief moment and then returns his gaze to Bonnie, who watches him in return with a poker-like expression. Slowly, he uncoils his fingers from the human's neck and stares at the ground sulkily.

"Hey, Bonnie," Evie murmurs. Her doe-like eyes brighten with a new found excitement, "Couldn't you cast a locator spell? If we find out where Esther took Elena then we could send Matt and Jeremy out there."

"Yeah," Bonnie nods; the motion is stiff from her previous Jamie scare, "I'm going to need a map and a blood sample from you or Jer."

"Me," Evie says, "I _really_ don't need to be exposed to human blood right now."

"Alright," Jeremy claps his hands together and then looks around the room, rushing over to one of the notice boards when he spots a map. He grabs it and brings it over to the teacher's desk where Evelyn coerces her fangs from their hiding place and bites in to her own hand with a hiss. The blood oozes from the wound, and as soon as it spills on to the map Bonnie begins chanting in that strange other language again.

The blood doesn't move.

"Esther's fighting me," The Bennett witch realizes, staring at the blood in disbelief.

"Esther couldn't _possibly_ have this much power!" Klaus growls, "Not unless..." Everyone watches the hybrid as he pauses for a moment, staring at the blood on the page. Eventually he turns from the map to Jeremy and Matt, "Get your weapons, I know where they are."

Whilst Klaus explains that his mother has most likely taken Elena to the spot where he tore her heart from her chest - the crypt - Evelyn and Jamie head over to Alaric's old classroom to raid his drawers and cupboards for weapons. Evie is not surprised to find a nice crossbow and a hefty amount of stakes. Evelyn holds the crossbow up and aims it at the closest window.

"Trust Ric to have all of this stashed in the workplace," She rolls her eyes, "How is he still allowed to teach here?"

"Maybe the Principle knows about him? I don't know," Jamie replies, browsing through the choices of weapons, "I think I'll sit this out."

"We were never expecting you to go," Evelyn murmurs, lowering the crossbow and turning to meet Jamie's eyes, "And I wouldn't want you to... Get out of here while you can, Jamie. Stick with Bonnie but don't get dragged in to any of this. It seems to always result in the same thing."

"Vampirism?" Jamie asks, chuckling bitterly, "Too late. I've already been dragged in to that. Bonnie's mom brought me up as her own, and now she's one of you, too."

"I didn't want this either," Evie says, watching the human with a calculating gaze, "I was turned much like Bonnie's mom was. I didn't have a choice." As soon as Evelyn makes this clear, Jamie relaxes slightly. His gaze becomes sympathetic, so much so that the doppelganger has to turn away, "Don't feel sorry for me. I feel sorry enough as it is."

"But I'm sorry this happened to you," He says despite her wish, "No one deserves this."

"It's ok," She shrugs, "I get to live forever, right? See the world. Learn everything there is to learn... Never have children, never keep a job for too long..."

"Evelyn," Klaus mutters from the doorway, pulling her away from her speech, "They need the weapons _now_."

"Right. Uhh... Oh, Jamie, grab the crossbow... Damnit, we need another weapon. Something to shoot with."

"I have the perfect thing," Jamie grins, "Let me get my gun. It's in my car."

Evie smirks, "Somebody came to Mystic Falls _prepared_. Wish I'd have done that…"

"You can't be too careful in a town like this," He chuckles before jogging off out of the room. Evelyn's eyes magnetize towards Klaus' once the human has left; she forces her face in to a neutral expression as she shakes her head.

"Don't say anything. I can't talk about this with you."

He just nods and gestures for her to follow him out of the room.

...

"She blames me," Klaus hisses, throwing his fist in to the invisible barricade angrily, "She blames me for something that _you_ did!"

"Hey, if you'd never had that whole feeding off of her thing beforehand then I'd have never done it. Don't blame me," Stefan scoffs.

"But you hurt her whilst trying to hurt me, Stefan!"

"Funny," Stefan smirks bitterly, "You used to applaud that, once upon a time ago."

"I thought you didn't want to talk about our days of friendship?"

"Oh, I don't, but I'm just reminding you that you've made thousands of people feel the way you're feeling right now."

"This is _your fault_," He spits, turning away from the magical wall to glare at Stefan, who is pacing back and forth the width of the red carpet leading in to the school, "You set us on this path, Stefan. I just wonder if your revenge will be worth the cost. My mother is about to attempt to kill us all and your doppelganger probably hates you, not only for what you have done to her sister but for everything else you've done. I wouldn't be too confident. It will take an _eternity_ to make this up to her."

"Oh, I'm _done_ with revenge," Stefan stops pacing and turns to Klaus, but gazes out in to the forest, "My relationship with Elena is _really_ none of your business, and as far as Esther, we've stopped her before... We'll stop her again."

"We're strange bedfellows, you and I," Klaus grins, "You know, all of this - aside from the humanity issues, of course - reminds me of our time in the twenties."

"You say that like I'm supposed to have happy memories about it," Stefan says.

"Well, there were moments... Real friendship. Brotherhood."

"Oh, he already has a brother," Damon says, stopping Klaus' speech in its tracks. Evelyn walks quietly beside him, glaring at Stefan as they approach, "Not to be, you know... Territorial or anything."

"No, no, of course. The Salvatores and their _unshakeable_ bond... Ha, I wonder what'll happen when Elena _finally_ makes her choice," Klaus glances between the two brothers, "Will we see you shake just a little bit?" Evelyn looks at Damon and Stefan, who are both looking at the floor a little awkwardly. She almost chuckles but restrains herself. Stupid, stupid boys...

"It's done!" Bonnie calls, "Esther's stopped fighting me. The boundary spell is broken."

Klaus raises his hand to the barricade and slices his hand down, smiling happily when he finds that it cuts straight through the cool air of the night. He turns to Evelyn, who is watching him carefully.

"I'm leaving, love," He murmurs, "Are you coming with me?"

"No," She replies almost instantly, her face betrays no emotions whatsoever, "I've got a sister to save."

He disappears in to the night.

"I'm going to find her," Evie says, "You guys coming with?"

"And the world's most stupid question award goes to-"

"Shut up, Damon," Stefan mutters, "Let's go."

They race their way through the forest, heading straight for the cemetery. Evelyn keeps her senses open, listening for the sound of Elena's voice – even the sound of her breathing would comfort her at this point. It doesn't take them too long; before they know it the crypt standing in the place where Klaus killed Esther is overhead.

"Elena?" Stefan shouts out, rushing inside. Damon follows after him, but Evelyn's eyes are on something else entirely. Something she hadn't been expecting to see.

Klaus. He is stood staring down at a tangle of limbs strewn across the grassy floor… The dead body of his mother. Evelyn doesn't know why but she feels a sudden lump in her throat as she gazes down at the dead witch – the first time she had caught them kissing heatedly at their home, the ball… Esther had never liked Evelyn, but seeing the woman lying dead before her… Perhaps it is just the reminder of her parents being dead, too… The doppelganger gnaws down on her lower lip and walks towards Klaus, coming to a stop beside him.

"She didn't win."

"No," Evie responds with a shake of her head, "She didn't."

Klaus turns to her and smiles, so Evelyn forces a smile on to her own face. But it just feels_ wrong_ when his mother – the woman who brought him up – is lying lifeless on the ground. He probably notices her discomfort. Evie is too caught up in what she is seeing to pay any attention to the two Salvatores who have just left the crypt.

"I'm going to take her back to the house – bury her or something… I suppose you'll want to speak with your sister?" When Evie nods he leans down to take his mother's body and tosses it over his shoulder so that he is carrying her in the fireman's lift, "I… I'm staying."

"I figured," Evelyn says, meeting his eyes. "I'll see you later."

And then, with a gust of wind, he disappears. As soon as he is gone Evelyn stumbles in to the crypt, feeling stranger than _ever_. Jeremy suddenly storming out of the place comes as a surprise to her – she should have noticed that he was heading out much sooner than she did, but he doesn't even mutter a 'sorry' as he rushes away from this place. She stares at his retreating back for a moment before curiously entering the cold, spooky building.

"What's wrong with Jer—?" Evelyn's words fall in to nothingness as she spots Alaric and Elena hugging, the latter with tears streaming down her face. The eyes that so much resemble her own meet hers, and a stab of concern hits the vampire, "What's happened?"

"You should go," Ric says, releasing Elena before turning to Evelyn and giving her a half-hearted smile, "Evie, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Um… Sure," She nods, giving Elena a comforting pat on the shoulder before watching her leave. Once Elena is out of sight Alaric releases a pent-up sigh; his eyes are burning with intensity when she looks at him.

"Evie, I'm in transition and I'm not going to complete it."

"_What_—?"

"But listen to me, ok?" He places his hands on her shoulders and forces her to meet his eyes, "_Listen_. You're the only other person I can trust to take care of Elena and Jeremy no matter _what_. I _need_ you to keep a closer eye on them; she's your sister and he's your cousin, and I know you love Klaus but you _have_ to put them first, alright?"

"I… I… Yes," She nods as tears prickle her eyes, "I always have, Ric. I always will."

"Good," He keeps eye contact with her for another moment and when he notices the tears welling up he pulls her in to a hug. "Stay safe, Evie. You're in the hardest position of them all."

"Thanks, Ric. I will… Goodbye."

When Evelyn leaves she notices the figures of her friends and family surrounding her, but rather than staying she makes a quick escape. She can't just stand there and watch the closest thing she has to a father figure die.

…

"Hey," Evie says, wiping tears from her eyes as she enters the living room of which Klaus is sat in with a glass of what could either be wine or blood; probably the latter. His eyes are gazing in to the fireplace and a closed sketchbook is sat beside him. The doppelganger makes her way over and pushes the book aside so that she can take its place. She curls up beside him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. They stay that way for a while. Rebekah's gasp alerts them to her awakening, but she doesn't attempt to find them; instead she heads to her bedroom and, from the sound of it, jumps in to the shower. An hour has passed before Klaus finally attempts to speak.

"I'm sorry about upsetting you again, Evelyn. It seems like that's all I can do… But I am trying my best. I cannot completely change who I am, especially when living under the conditions that we do. I just… You make me want to do things that I have never wanted to do before. I love you so much and I am so scared that you're going to be taken away from me…" He looks down at her and realizes she isn't listening; her eyes are shut, and her breathing is slow and heavy. Klaus' eyes soften as he leans down and presses a gentle kiss to her exposed forehead; his fingers idly reach in to his pocket where the engagement ring is sat. _Someday_, he tells himself, _when we're ready, I'll make you mine completely… And then we will never be apart. _

He slowly lifts her from the sofa and carries her to their room where he strips her of that twenties dress and tucks her in and, after a shower of his own, he lays in the vacant space besides her and drifts off in to a sleep completely clouded with nightmares of his now dead mother swearing her revenge.

"_She's not gone. Her plan is still intact. You're going to die."_

When Klaus wakes the following morning his body is covered in a sheen of sweat. The space beside him is empty, but he can hear voices emanating from downstairs. Evelyn and Rebekah must be talking… Yes, she is explaining what happened whilst Rebekah was daggered. He raises a hand to wipe some of the perspiration from his face but when he realizes that his hands are shaking it hits him that there is nothing that will quell the fear pounding through his body. He just _knows_ that something has gone wrong… But what? Alaric didn't complete the transition. He is dead. So what else is there?

As curious as he is, Klaus is not certain that he wants to stick around and find out. He does not have enough hybrids to protect him… He needs more blood. Elena's blood. He has a decision to make – fight or flight. He cannot fight his mother now; she is too powerful. His rationality is screaming at him that she is dead, but that nagging sensation is squirming in the pit of his stomach. Something bad is going to happen today.

"…I have to head out to the school and clean up the mess I organised but never got to enjoy," Rebekah mutters. Klaus can almost hear his sister's grimace.

"Wait up, I'll come and help. And trust me, 'Bekah, you really didn't miss anything _fun_."

"Yes, well, it still would have been nice to have been there…" There is some clattering downstairs as the girls pause from speech, "Wait, you were serious about helping?"

"Sure, why not? I've got nothing better to do, and… Well, I want to be here for you. I know you hated your Mom and all but… I hated mine too, and it still hurts to know she's gone…"

Their voices get quieter as their footsteps echo through the home; the front door opens and with a slam it's shut, and Klaus can hear their shoes pressing in to the gravel as they make their way out. As soon as the hybrid hears their car pull out from the driveway he grabs his cell from the nightstand and dials Tyler's number.

"_Klaus_," He says bitterly.

"Tyler! I'm going to need your help packing up, mate. I'm leaving."

"_And why should I help you?_" He scoffs in response.

"Because I'll be very disappointed if you don't…" There is a moment's silence before Tyler snaps:

"_I'll be there soon_."

Klaus jumps up from the bed after hanging up and steps in to the shower. He would have found Tyler's irritation amusing if he wasn't so unhinged. In conclusion: getting out of Mystic Falls is definitely for the best.

…

Rebekah is acting very out of character this morning, and Evelyn has noticed. Ever since she discovered that her mother is dead she has had this odd look about her; it is as though she could run off in to one of the teacher's store cupboards and cry. What shocks the doppelganger, though, is how strong she is being about it. When Evelyn found out about her mother's death she cried yet she hated the woman… But Rebekah merely feigns indifference. If someone didn't know her as well as Evie does they'd think she didn't care.

"What do you mean you're _ditching_ my clean-up committee?" Caroline's voice floats through the school as her heeled boots click against the floor, signalling to the two other vampires that another is amongst them. Evelyn turns from the trash can she has just dumped a handful of cups in to and listens to the conversation; she can faintly hear Tyler's voice from the other end of the line.

"_Klaus called. He's leaving town and wants me to pack up his bags_."

_WHAT?_

"Since when does _sire bond _equal _mover slave_?"

"_Since he realized Evie's not gonna ditch him just 'cause he's gone, I guess._"

"But his Mom's dead, I don't see the threat now she's _gone_."

"_She's been gone before though, Car_. _And what does it matter anyway? He still thinks I'm sired to him. It's fine. I'll keep up the act and it'll all be over soon_." There's a pause whilst Caroline sighs. "_I'm gonna be late. I love you._"

"I love you too," She replies before hanging up. Caroline goes to turn around and head for the hall, but somebody is in her way.

"Klaus is _leaving_?" Evie growls, "Is Tyler _joking_ or…?"

"Don't act so surprised, Evelyn. He kept our mother a secret for a good thousand odd years… I'm surprised you think he'd actually tell you – or anyone, for that matter – everything."

"Whose side are you _on_, 'Bekah?"

"Where's Matt?" Caroline asks in an attempt to change the subject.

"He bailed; got called in to work in the last minute."

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Car groans, "So it's just us?"

"Just you two," Evelyn snaps, glaring in to space, "I've got a dead man to talk to."

"Oh no you don't!" Rebekah shouts, grabbing the back of Evelyn's shirt as she attempts to leave, "You know full well he wouldn't leave before saying goodbye so I suggest you help us and _then_ slap him around a little bit… It's the least you can do seeing as I have to clean up after a dance I didn't even get to attend."

Evelyn wants to argue but she knows that Rebekah needs someone right now, whether it's to talk or to just be beside someone familiar, so she pushes her anger aside and begins collecting cups again.

"I'm going to get started on the gym," Rebekah mutters before heading out. Evelyn watches her as she leaves and, once she is gone, she turns to Caroline.

"How are you?"

"I'm… Dealing. What about you?"

"I didn't know Ric as long as you guys," She replies, shrugging.

"Maybe so but you still cared about him." At that, Evelyn drops the cups she had picked up in the trash and nods.

"Yeah, I did. But we're vampires. Death follows us and life has to go on."

Caroline nods, "The sad truth of-"

"You're supposed to be dead," The two vampires freeze as they hear Rebekah's words echo through the empty halls.

"I am."

Both Evelyn's and Caroline's eyes widen as they connect that voice with Ric's and realize that he's not dead. But they're physical reactions are hindered by this, so when they hear Rebekah grunt and a clashing sound of body-and-metal they are still frozen. Luckily Caroline's reflexes return to her as she rushes out of the room; Evelyn quickly follows. Caroline sees that Alaric is raising the white oak stake and has Rebekah pinned against the lockers so she leaps through the air and grabs Alaric so that he is pinned instead. The pair of them end up successfully shoving the stake in to Ric's heart… But as they back away and realize that his body should have gone up in flames by now they all realize that he's _not_ going away that easily. The girls share fearful glances and make a run for it, and as Evie realizes what they realized valuable seconds before she also runs.

Once Evelyn makes it outside, Caroline and Rebekah are gone. She can hear Alaric stalking after her and as he gets closer panic begins to flood through her body. The car. She can use her car. She forgets about being a vampire as she fumbles with the keys and attempts to shove them in to the door, but she's too late. Something grabs her from behind and the last thing she hears before blacking out is a _snap!_


	30. Monsters

As Elena hears her phone begin to ring, she quickly wipes her paint-covered hands on a towel and then picks it up from the cloth-covered side table. She was expecting it to be Stefan or Damon, maybe Bonnie or Caroline, but who she _wasn't_ expecting was _Alaric_. He's dead, and anger rushes through her as she realizes that someone is trying to play tricks with her. It's probably Rebekah. So, when she picks up her cell she answers infuriatedly.

"Whoever this is it _isn't_ funny!"

"_Well, who else would it be?_"

Elena freezes in shock.

That _is_ Alaric's voice but… But he's dead. Gone. But he's talking. He can't be dead… His voice, however, is not the caring tone that she remembers. It's cold and ruthless; she can almost _hear_ his intent to kill. There's only one explanation – the spirits must have forced him in to feeding.

"… Ric?"

"_Listen closely. I'm at the school and I have your sister, and if you want to keep her alive I need you to get in your car and come down here right away… If you tell anyone where you're going I will kill her._"

A _click_ signals that the line has been disconnected.

Elena's heart is hammering wildly in her chest, forcing a horrid mix of adrenaline and panic through her bloodstream. Alaric is alive. He has Evelyn. He's going to kill her if Elena doesn't do what he asks. Her whole body is trembling as she robotically shoves her cell in to her jean pocket and then heads to the bathroom door.

"Hey, Jer," She calls, shocked at how calm her voice sounds.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to have a nap. I didn't get much sleep last night with… Everything. Could you let anyone who calls know?"

"Sure thing. Want me to carry on painting?"

"Erm… If you want to. I'll carry on when I wake up."

"Alright, sweet dreams."

Elena stumbles her way over to her room and closes the door a little louder than necessary to make a show of it before creeping down the steps, avoiding the fifth one that _always_ creeks. Just in case anyone sees her, she heads out of the back door and sneaks to her car – as soon as she's inside it she brings the engine to life and drives away, praying that Jeremy didn't hear or perhaps mistook it for a neighbour. Her heart continues to pound furiously as she forces herself to pay attention to the road. What's he doing with Evie right now? Is she still alive? Sobs begin to wrack through her body, making it much more difficult to drive. _No_. Evelyn won't be dead. He said if she shows up he won't kill her. She clings on to that thought fiercely as a newfound determination has her completing her journey. For the first time in her life Elena finds herself wishing that she could call Klaus, but even if Alaric hadn't made it clear that bringing someone else along would result in her sister's death Elena doesn't have Klaus' number. When she finally makes it to the school Elena leaps out of her car and rushes towards the doors.

Footsteps echo through the empty hallways of Mystic Falls High School. Elena's body movements feel like that of somebody else as she makes her way to Alaric's History classroom. He listens as she gets closer and gazes at his white oak, indestructible stake with a serene expression.

"Right on time," He says to the girl tied to one of the front desks in the room. Evelyn's eyes are wide in fear as she tries to call out to Elena to leave, but the cloth pinning her tongue to the bottom of her mouth hinders her words. Her vision is so blurred and she feels so out of control… The fear for her sister's safety sobers her slightly, but most of her focus is on the pain that the rope-soaked vervain is causing her. She can feel her clothes sticking to her body with sweat; all from the task of keeping herself conscious. Torture time with Alaric is _agonizing_.

"Ehhah!" Evelyn bellows, attempting to call out to her sister once more. "Ehhah gehh ouhh!" She shrieks. It's a trap. It has to be a trap. Alaric won't kill Elena but he's going to hurt her in some way, and that is the last thin Evelyn wants. She'll take Ric's torture but if he uses her sister against her… The thought is unbearable, and it will be for poor Elena, too. But Evie soon realizes her shouts are no good. Elena's footsteps are getting closer and, as she enters the doorway, tears spring to the tortured vampire's eyes.

Elena has to cling on to the doorframe of the room in an attempt to ground herself when she sees the state that Evelyn is in. She is tied to her chair with her mouth gagged and tears falling down her cheeks and Alaric is sat relaxed, watching Elena with an interested gleam in his eyes. At first the human doppelganger can do nothing but stare at her sister.

"Evelyn," She croaks hoarsely through the lump in her throat, noticing for the first time the pencil that is stuck through her hand. She turns a distraught gaze to Ric. "Let her _go_, Alaric!" Ric gestures with his hand to the bound vampire and shrugs.

"Free her yourself," He adds lazily.

Elena meets Evelyn's eyes once more, who can do nothing now but gaze at Elena with an exhausted look. There is no humoured gleam in her eyes… They don't even look their usual chocolate colour anymore. They look lifeless. Cold. At this realization Elena ignores the unease squirming in the pit of her stomach as she runs to her sister.

"Hey," She says comfortingly, stroking her arm. Evelyn whimpers and then inhales sharply in pain as Elena takes hold of one of the pencils in her hand. She attempt to pull it out slowly, but suddenly it is being shoved back in and Evie shrieks in agony. Elena stands up straight, now furious as she turns to Alaric.

"YOU SAID YOU WOULD LET HER GO!" She bellows.

"How many times do I have to _tell_ you, Elena? _Stop trusting VAMPIRES_!"

…

"Stefan," Klaus murmurs, beaming maliciously as he watches a couple of his hybrids continue to pack his boxes, "How are you, mate?"

"_Alaric has Elena and Evie_."

The smile immediately falls from his face.

"What?"

"_He's not dead. Bonnie was possessed last night and he fed on her, and now he's got Evie and Elena at the-_"

"Nik!" Rebekah shrieks as she rushes her way through the house, stopping when she reaches him. Her hair is windswept and her eyes are wild. "I tried to save her, but Alaric was too strong. He's nearly staked me twice! Alaric has Evelyn and he's torturing her!"

"Stefan," Klaus growls, "I thought your _brother_ was babysitting the dead man!"

"_The spirits possessed Bonnie. She doesn't even remember what was happening!_"

That dream from his restless night infiltrates his mind once more. This is what his subconscious was warning him of. All magic comes at a price, and this forewarning was the one that his mother had to pay. How could he have been so stupid? He was so busy worrying of what could happen to himself when he should have remembered the key part of all of this: harming Evelyn is far worse than anything that could happen to himself.

"Have you spoken to Alaric?" Klaus asks, gesturing for Rebekah to follow as they run at vampire speed out of the front door. Cars are forgotten as they race through the forest; they are much faster than any sports vehicle in existence.

"_Yeah, he said he's going to kill them both if you don't hand yourself over._"

Klaus wants to _kill_ himself for being so damn _predictable_. He suddenly remembers why he has not allowed himself to love for the past one thousand years. How completely and utterly foolish. He sighs heavily but quickly accepts that he's going to have to pay for his ignorance as he knocks on the Gilbert's front door. Seconds later, Stefan is stood behind the threshold and they are hanging up.

"How do I know for certain you're not asking me to walk in to a certain death?" He asks, suddenly suspicious. How can Klaus be sure that they have not formed an agreement with Alaric? Although Stefan's smirk tells him exactly what he needs to know – this is no trap.

"I really wish we could," The Salvatore replies bitterly, "But unfortunately if Alaric kills you there's a one-in-four chance that we die, too."

"I'll take those odds," Damon adds.

"And a one-hundred per cent chance that _Tyler_ dies," Stefan states pointedly at his irritating older brother. Klaus just continues to glare at the two brother's whilst Rebekah paces behind him.

"We'd deal with that, too."

Stefan just turns back to Klaus.

"We'll figured a way out to put Alaric down."

But this takes the group longer than they hoped. Rebekah is almost tugging her hair out of its roots with worry, Klaus has now taken her place of pacing and the Salvatores are stood with concerned expressions, thinking of whatever they can to neutralize Alaric.

"I know!" Klaus says, "Why doesn't Stefan run on in there and distract Alaric whilst Damon grabs Elena and I grab Evelyn?"

"Oh yeah," Stefan scoffs, "And what's stopping me from getting killed instantly?"

Klaus smiles, "Nothing. I doubt Evelyn would mind…"

"I think I might have an idea," Bonnie sighs, stopping the bickering before it can begin as she steps out from the doorway, "My mom used a dessication spell on Mikael that immobilised him for over fifteen years. If I can get it then I might be able to use it on Alaric."

"'If' and 'might'. Your words inspire such _confidence_," Rebekah spits.

"I'll get it," The witch replies confidently, "But even _with_ this spell we'll need a lot of vampire muscle to take him down." She glares pointedly at Rebekah and Klaus, "Including yours."

"Fine," Rebekah nods and then looks up at her older brother who is glaring at Bonnie suspiciously. After a slight nudge from his sister he nods.

"Alright. Whatever it takes to get Evelyn out."

…

"No," Evelyn whimpers as Alaric takes the cloth out of the vervain, "No, please, no more. _Please_." The newly-turned vampire takes the cloth in both hands and positions it in front of Evie's face; this has Elena jumping out of her chair and reaching to stop Alaric.

"Alaric, _stop_-!"

"_Sit down_," He growls, shoving the doppelganger back in to her chair. "This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath." Evelyn yelps and whimpers as the fresh vervain touches her skin, burning it as acid would a human. Tears fill Elena's eyes as she reaches over and attempts to soothe her sister by stroking her arm, but she knows it's no use. How she wishes she could help her out of this, but what's a human compared on an original vampire?

"Why're you doing this?" She asks, hating herself for crying when she needs to be strong.

"To make it easier on you when you put her out of her misery," Alaric replies, once again toying with the white oak stake.

"WHAT?" Elena yelps, staring up at Alaric in disbelief, "No!"

"Isn't this what you wanted, Elena?" He asks in a patronising tone, "For me to teach you how to kill a vampire? Well, here's a vampire," He gestures to the helpless Evelyn with the stake and then holds it out for Elena to take, "Kill her."

"This isn't what I want!" Elena snaps.

"Of course it is," He replies gruffly, "All those hours you spent training, getting stronger. You could be a hunter, Elena. But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart."

Evelyn is quivering in terror. She doesn't want to die. She may hate being a vampire but she doesn't want to die. All she wants is to be here for her sister and the man she loves; the people she cares about. Who cares what form that is in? She's better off a vampire than dead.

"_WHY_ _are you DOING THIS_?" Elena yells, watching Alaric furiously as he begins to pace. Evie sees that her sister has refused the dagger but she is still just as terrified as she was moments before.

"Because you need me," He replies sternly, "Because you're an eighteen-year-old girl without parents or guidance or any sense of right or wrong anymore."

"Look at _you_!" She gestures to Evelyn, "How is this _right_?"

"She's a _vampire_. She feeds on _people_, Elena, and she's in love with the biggest monster of them all! Now how is _that_ right? _Listen_, Elena, your parents lead the council. It was their life's mission to keep you and this town safe, and they were dead six months before you undid it all."

"You don't know _anything_ about them," She spits, keeping her eyes locked with his as fury causes her hands to tremble. How _dare_ he?

"Am I wrong? Do you _actually_ think that they'd be _proud_ of you?" He asks her with humour in his voice. A horrible feeling of uncertainty stabs at Elena's heart as he kneels in front of her, "If you don't side with the humans," He pauses to give Evelyn a disgusted look, "You're just as bad as them." He stands and holds the stake out to her again, "Now _kill her _or I'll do it for you... And I'll make it hurt." He grabs her and forces her to stand in front of her sister; Elena struggles but he overpowers her _easily_. Before she knows it she is stood in front of her sister with the dagger in her hand; but when she swings she doesn't go for Evelyn but for Alaric who, unfortunately, realizes too soon. He grabs her arm and glares at her furiously. "I thought I'd taught you better than that," He sneers.

"You did."

"AHH!" He roars as a searing pain meets not only his skin but his eyes. The needle-like pricks to his burning skin alerts him to the fact that this is the glass of vervain he had been using to soak the cloths keeping Evelyn tied up. Elena uses this opportunity to yank the pencils from her sister's hands and untie the gag around her mouth. As soon as she is free Evie uses every ounce of her remaining strength to run for the door.

"GET HELP!" Elena bellows, knowing that her retreating sister will hear. Evelyn continues to run until she is confident with the knowledge that Alaric is not following her, but when she realizes that he still has Elena she comes to a halt. She can't leave her here.

"Hmmph!" She yells as someone suddenly grabs her from behind, covering her mouth with their hand and pinning her body to theirs by her waist. She struggles against her captor until a familiar, velvet voice whispers to her.

"Shhh, it's ok. It's ok, it's me. It's ok, you're safe."

Evelyn instantly relaxes as she inhales his scent. Klaus uses this opportunity to peer down the hallway and listen for Alaric; he is soon comforted by the knowledge that Elena is keeping him too busy to notice who else is around.

"Listen, sweetheart. We'll save Elena, but you need to go straight home and stay inside, do you understand?" After a moment of silence Klaus turns Evie around and meets her eyes. He cannot compel her with all of this vervain in her system, but his demanding gaze quells any form of disagreement.

"Yes… Thank you."

And then she realizes what he's doing. He's not here for any selfish needs; he came here to save her _and_ her sister… He is doing this for _her_. She can't help it; she grabs him around the back of the neck and yanks him down and proceeds to kiss him with a passion she has never, _ever_ shown before. As much as Klaus appreciates it he still has Elena to save, so after a few moments pass he pries her hands from his neck and stares down at her breathlessly.

"Go," he hisses, and she does. Evelyn rushes out of the school and listens for signs of life on the outside; there she can hear hushed voices reverberating through the forest. The vampire rushes through the forestry until she picks up the scents of Bonnie and Jeremy – when she reaches them Bonnie has her hands hovering over Jeremy as she chants in a foreign language. Something about this picture stops her from speaking; she just watches on.

Klaus stares up at Alaric whilst clinging on to his heart with as tight a grip as he can manage, but Alaric is a newly turned and much stronger vampire, so it doesn't take him very long escape; which a twist and a _snap_, Klaus bellows as the searing pain sends dots of grey in front of his eyes. Alaric tosses the hybrid aside and watches him fall to the ground.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asks Bonnie, looking up from where he's laid on the ground.

"Something happened… The connection broke." Bonnie turns from Jeremy to Evelyn, "Evie, we need you. We're trying to do the spell my mom did on Mikael to put Alaric down and we need as many vampires as you can; I know you've been through a lot but the connections broke. Damon, Stefan and Klaus are in danger."

"You had me at 'put Alaric down'," Evie smirks, although the humour doesn't reach her eyes, "What do I need to do?"

Alaric and Klaus wrestle for the upper hand, the latter scrambles in horror as the white oak stake nears his heart. Alaric is going to win this thing if someone doesn't stop him; it's not only Klaus that will die but Evelyn too. No. Someone needs to help him! The hybrid turns to look for his sister, but when he spots her unconscious beside the two Salvatore brother's his hope is lost.

"STOP!" Elena bellows, holding a pen knife to her throat, "Let him _go_ or I'll kill myself."

Klaus had _not_ been expecting his saviour to come in the form of _Elena Gilbert_. He turns from the girl to the vampire hovering over him, watching their exchange with keen interest. Alaric merely sneers at her before meeting Klaus' wide eyes once more.

"Put it down, Elena."

"Why? Because you still need me alive? There's a reason why Esther used me to make you, isn't there? She didn't _want_ you to be immortal, so she tied _your_ life to a human one… Mine. That way you only have one life span to kill all vampires and then you'll be _gone_. So, if I die then you die too—That's it! It has to be!"

"You're wrong," Alaric snaps.

"Am I?" She isn't one for bluffing, so with a sharp inhale the doppelganger pierces her throat with the blade and begins to slowly slide it down towards her jugular.

"Stop! ELENA, STOP!"

This is all the distraction that Klaus needs, and the information he has learnt from this little tryst has been very helpful indeed. All he needs is to completely drain Elena of her blood and then he can create more hybrids _and_ get rid of his mother's final attempt to take his life; this will be like killing two birds with one stone.

Evelyn will never forgive him for this, though… He has to make a choice. Her happiness or his life? He could always feed Elena his blood… But turning her could be worse than killing her. Another Petrova for an eternity? He has had enough with Katherine and can only cope with Evelyn's fire because of how much he loves her. No, he doesn't need Elena too. And Evie may hate him more for 'sentencing' her to this fate than she will for killing her. No, he won't turn her. He'll let her die.

When Klaus kicks Alaric's body off his own he snatches Elena up and flees with her, knowing that now he has kicked this in to action he cannot go back. Elena gazes up at him in confusion with the same eyes of Evelyn's… God, they're exactly alike. From looks to scent, if he didn't know Evie so well he could _easily _mistake her for Elena.

"Go to sleep," He says, compelling her to do his bidding. Seconds later she is limp in his arms; reminding him of carrying Evelyn up to bed the previous night. He'll never get to do that again.

As soon as they reach the mansion Klaus kicks the door through and carries the unconscious girl up to the living room where he slowly places her in to a chair and ties her to it; moments later one of his hybrids stroll in, so he orders them to grab a nurse from the hospital and compel her to drain Elena of all her blood. As soon as they leave, Klaus turns his attention back to the unconscious girl… A lump begins forming in his throat as it all kicks in. He's really done it now. Evelyn is going to despise him. He's going to lose the woman he loves most.

All because he wants to keep her – and himself – alive.

Where is the sense in that?

…

Evelyn makes it back in to the school to find that Klaus and Elena are gone, but the two Salvatore brothers and Rebekah are still here and stirring from their slumber. As soon as she reaches them she falls to her knees and attempts to help Damon up, but she ends up falling back in shock as Alaric suddenly shows up in front of them.

"Get up," He barks, and all four of them do exactly as he says, "Klaus is going to kill Elena."

"What?" Evie scoffs, "That's ridiculous! He told me he was here to save her; why would he do the one thing that would push me away from him for good?"

"She has a point," Stefan replies, "Plus he needs her blood to make more hybrids."

"The witch bound _my_ life to Elena's," Alaric explains, "If she dies _I_ die. Klaus figured that out and now he's taken her. Now, I'm trapped here until the sun goes down, so you three better get doing what you do best – saving Elena's life." With that he shoves past the two brothers and walks away, leaving the trio to gape at one another.

"H-he can't," Evie says, grinding her teeth together in fury, "He _wouldn't_!"

"Oh, come _on_ Evelyn! Are you seriously that _blind_! He would and you _know _it, you just don't want to believe it because you _love him_!"

What hurts Evelyn the most is that she knows that Damon is right. Klaus most definitely would do something like this if it meant saving himself. Selfish. He is ridiculously and horribly selfish; he always has been and, with a horrible sense of realization, Evelyn knows that he always will be. He is willing to sacrifice _everything_ that they have in exchange for his own wellbeing… That thought should sadden her, but all it does is set fire to a deep fury within. Her heart is aching with pain but the vampiric side of herself is infuriated and calls wildly for Klaus' blood.

"I'm going to kill him," She growls, seeing red as her fangs protrude from her lips, "I'll tear that bastard apart _limb from limb_ for _daring_ to hurt my sister!"

"Then let's go," Damon says, "But less of the tearing thing. We quite like being undead, I'd rather not cross over to the other side for your revenge."

"You won't be killing him," Rebekah speaks up. "And I won't help you, but I won't try and stop you either."

…

"W-what about your hybrids?" Elena asks, turning groggily to look up at Klaus, "You'll need more than this to create your army." He is silent for a moment, but as the nurse goes to pass him with a bag full of blood he snatches it from her and examines it.

"These last few litres will have to suffice. You see, by attempting to kill us my mother strengthened the bond between my siblings and I. I don't _need_ hybrids; I have my family."

"If you believe that then why take my blood at all?" Elena asks, glaring up at Klaus resentfully, "You want a back-up family. You _know_ that your siblings will never trust you again, and when I'm dead neither will my sister… You'd really give her up for an _army_? You're _pathetic_."

"You _know_," He hisses as he scrambles for words that can hurt her as much as hers just hurt him, "Stefan _blames_ me for trying to turn him against his brother, but I think we both know who _really_ came between them… _You_; that's why you won't choose. You know once you pick a Salvatore you'll destroy their bond." She refuses to meet his eyes, so he forces her to. The hybrid places his hands on top of hers and leans down so their faces are inches apart. "So consider this me doing you a favour. Once you're dead you won't have to choose. No broken hearts; their family stays intact… But just between us girls," He beams at his own joke, "Who would you have picked?" Staring in to those cold blue eyes, Elena cannot see _one_ good reason for this man to deserve love, lest of all from her sister. She knows Evie will hate him after this, so she feels as though she is speaking for the pair of them as she says:

"Rot in _hell_."

"Mmm," He smiles, "You're _welcome_." The hybrid inhales her scent deeply, relishing in it. He's going to miss that delicious Petrova scent. He's going to miss _Evelyn_. Despite feeling as though he is drowning in guilt and despair he continues to smile down at his lover's twin, "Sweet dreams, Elena. It's been _fun_."

After he has left she struggles with her bonds, ignoring the pain it causes from the needles in her arms. She feels nauseas and the adrenaline pumping through her bloodstream isn't helping; her body is going in to a frenzy and _God_ she has to get out of here. Her breathing becomes shallow as she whimpers, falling limp in her chair. Just as the feeling of unconsciousness begins to seduce her draining limbs in she notices another person has entered the room; a slight sense of hope returns as she realizes that it's Evie. She's _here_.

"What're you doing?" She whispers groggily.

"Shhh!" Her sister urges, untying the last of her bonds. Once she has done that she yanks the needles from her arms, quelling the flow in to Klaus' precious blood bags. Something catches Elena's eye from her peripheral vision; when she looks up to see what it is she inhales sharply.

"Evie!" She whispers, eyes wide as she stares up at Klaus, who freezes as Evelyn turns around. The vampire slowly stands so that she is in front of Elena and stares at Klaus emotionlessly before looking down at her semi-conscious sister. Evelyn refuses to look at him again, and it _hurts_.

"Evelyn," He whispers, desperate for her to cut the mounting tension as she usually does. She flinches at the sound of her name from his lips, and her eyes snap over from her sister to meet his, and as he watches the fury dance through those usually loving eyes he wishes he'd never spoken.

"How _could_ you?" She snaps; her voice is like a dagger piercing his skin, "After _everything_ we've been through… All the times we've _talked_ about this? _How_ could you _do_ this to me, Klaus?"

"Alaric was going to _kill_ us!" He says, but now that excuse sounds pathetic even to himself, "I couldn't let him kill you."

"_Bullshit_!" She shrieks, causing Elena to flinch and Klaus' eyes to widen, "You _know_ I'd rather _die_ than lose anybody else, so I'll ask _again_," She boldly grabs him by the collar of his shirt and yanks him forward so his eyes are inches from hers. They are not the warm chocolate he is so familiar with; these are the eyes of Katerina and Elena… These are the eyes consumed with the fiery hatred only a Petrova can possess. Never throughout his time of knowing Evelyn, even when he had bitten her, has she looked at him like this.

"B-Because," He stammers – _stammers _ – which damages his pride greatly, but he cannot find it in himself to care right now. He cannot lie anymore. Not to her. "Because I don't _want_ to die. Not for anyone… I love you, Evelyn. But not even for you."

And there it is. And Evelyn feels foolish for being so surprised. Tears pool in her eyes as she releases his collar and draws her hand back so she can hit him with such a force that his neck snaps from the collision and her hand breaks.

She knows what has to come next. Family comes first, so she closes her eyes and allows the tears to fall silently down her cheeks as she shoves her hand in to his chest and holds his heart in the palm of her hands. A surge of mystical energy floods through her as she feels his heart slow; this is Bonnie's work, of course. A connection has been made and she is now neutralizing his heart. Evelyn never _imagined_ that she could do something like this to the man she loves, but she had long before stopped thinking that he would hurt her family. She was wrong in both respects.

The entirety of their relationship begins passing through her mind. The day they met in that forest on the mountains; the day he saved her from the wrongly-turned hybrids. She knew he had sentenced them all to their demise, but she still attempted to comfort him afterwards because she knew that was what he needed. And then just how _irritating_ she found him whilst they were in Chicago, but despite it all she felt this odd urge to kiss him. She had tried her best to stay away but he was so enticing that she lost herself to him; his love, his knowledge… He has put her unyielding forgiveness to the test too many times, though – like the time that he _showed_ their relationship to Elena without her consent, the time he fed on her… She has forgiven and loved him through it all. But this is just something that she cannot forget.

"Y-You said it yourself," She whispers steadily, but her own pain and guilt are shining through, "We're going to live forever. We can spend some of that time apart… That's what I need. Time. Time in a place where you can't reach me. You brought this on yourself by proving to me that you can't respect what _I_ want… So goodbye, Klaus."

Of course he cannot hear her, but that doesn't mean that she cannot gain anything out of speaking the words. His heart is still, and when she opens her eyes she finally begins to sob. There, lying grey and cold, is the body of the man she has spent her entire time in Mystic Falls with. The man who has brought her back to life through the means of death… The man she loves.

_What have I done?_

It's the strangest thing. As soon as Evelyn releases her grip on his heart she loses control. Tyler's arms are pinning her own to her sides, Stefan is dragging Klaus' body away and Damon is tending to Elena. No, no, _no_. She hadn't meant to do _that_ – she was just mad! Too mad!

_"Your impulse, Niklaus. It has and forever will be the one thing that keeps you from truly being great."_

The words that Mikael had spoken all those months ago echo through her mind, and with a firm punch to the gut Evelyn realizes that she is not so different from Klaus after all. She is just as impulsive as him. She has just done something that she once scolded him for. She has just put him down like he did to his siblings all over a disagreement.

And now she's just as big a monster as he is.

~x~

_A/N: Please don't hate me, please don't hate me… D:_


	31. Twelve Months Later

It's been twelve months.

Soon after they put Klaus down Evelyn hopped on a plane. She knew what was coming, so it hardly surprised her when they told her that Alaric managed to find him. He was dead, and for months she felt numb. She hid away and did things she blocks from her mind to this day… But it got easier. Never better, but easier. Eventually she discovered he was still alive, and this was her trigger to turn it back on. She has lived in London ever since, working in some run down bar and feeding – but not killing – off of the sleazy, drunken men that tried to hit on her.

But _God_, did she miss him.

She stayed in touch with Elena, and knowing she was happy has been enough for her. She has no compulsion to return to Mystic Falls. They have an eternity, after all. She is sure their paths will cross again. She is startled from her thoughts as the cab draws to a stop, and a moment later the driver turns to her.

'That'll be twenty dollars.'

She pulls the money from her purse, freshly exchanged in some last minute UK post office just hours before catching her flight. With a quick thank you she hops out, feeling slightly annoyed at herself for not packing any clothes. Not that she had been at home when she decided to come here… She supposes she has her powers of compulsion if they do decide to kick her out the second she steps through the door.

That's if she's even in the right place. Klaus had often talked of his time in New Orleans, and when Elena told her he'd come here she knew exactly where he'd be. He had mentioned the street name enough, and obviously it would be the most extravagant building of the lot. She picks the one that reminds her of something that could've been taken straight out of a Romeo and Juliet production. Old fashioned, with beautiful ivy leaves twisting patterns onto the orange walls complete with wrought iron gates. Yes, this is his – both beautiful and paranoid.

'Excuse me,' she calls as soon as she spots someone leaving. The man turns to her. He's probably around her age, and very attractive too. Though she finds herself wondering why he's carrying a toy rabbit.

'Uh, yeah?' He murmurs, watching her warily.

'Do the Mikaelsons live here, by any chance?'

'Mhm,' he nods, 'Though only Klaus is in right now… Do you know them? I haven't seen you around before.'

'We're old friends,' she replies with a friendly smile, 'Thank you.'

He keeps the gate held open for her, which leaves her no time to stand around for hours and brood over whether or not she would _actually_ go in. Damn this attractive, sweet guy and his chivalry. With another thank you she steps through and closes it behind her, walking through the short passageway. It opens up in to a square just as beautiful as the outside, and to her right there's a stairway that leads to another floor. They must be the living quarters, judging by the contrast in lighting to down here. Slowly, she makes her way up, using her heightened sense of sound to track him down. She hears a soft dragging sound that makes her think of a brush against a canvas, and true to her thoughts she eventually steps into the curtained, open doorway of what must be his art room.

'I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised to find you here,' she says, ignoring the way her throat clenches with emotion upon seeing him. He turns, dropping his paintbrush in surprise. God, he's as beautiful as she remembers. Dirty blonde curls, wide blue eyes and that spatter of stubble that would tickle her as they kissed, but considering the last time they saw one another she's not eager to jump his bones.

'Evelyn?' he says, voice heavy with emotion. He inhales deeply and shuts his eyes, and she can only assume he's thinking of that moment…

'I was in London,' she says, knowing she's going to ramble but doing it anyway because what else does she say? 'I had gone out to grab some food in case my landlady checked my refrigerator or something, and I found myself thinking about how much I hate playing pretend. I knew you weren't coming for me, whether to kill me or… Y'know. But I got sick of hiding away, and impulsively bought a ticket. And here I am.'

He'd travelled closer during her little speech, and when she looks up he's about a meter away. His eyes have hardened, and his lips are pressed into a tight line.

'It's been months…'

'Must've felt like a couple of days to you, right?' she half-smiles, though it's nervous, 'It felt much longer to me… It gave me a lot of time to think. To change.'

'Yet here you are,' He smiles, but it's not exactly friendly. She'd say it leans towards that menacing, playful side that's always thrived in him.

'Here I am,' She nods.

'Are you staying?'

'If you'll have me.'

The playful look falters, giving way to something sweeter. He reaches up and cups her cheek in his hand, and it takes a lot of willpower on her part not to lean into it. Like she'd said – she had time to think, and a lot of that thinking was about him and her.

'We have a lot of demons in our closet, though for the time being we can put those aside. We have much to discuss,' he gestures for her to follow him and she does so, 'Tea?'

'I'd love some,' she nods, following him down the stairs. Whilst they were talking someone must have lit the candles, as the ground floor is much brighter than it had been before. He leads her into the kitchen, telling the compelled, human workers that they've been let off for the night before picking up the kettle.

'England, then?' he smiles, 'beautiful place. What led you there?'

'I'd always been a bit of an Anglophile,' she smiles playfully despite herself.

'Unfortunately I can't say the same for your knowledge of its History. The Vikings were never English,' he teases.

'Enough of that,' she laughs, shaking her head, 'what've you been up to?'

'Now _that_ will have to wait for the tea. You're going to be very surprised.'

'In a good way?' she asks hopefully, and he presses his lips into a line.

'Evelyn…' He sighs, running a hand through his hair as he takes a moment, 'I… I have a child.'

Surprised was a slight understatement. She feels as though someone just doused her in ice water, and the news quickly brings on a cocktail of emotions. Joy, jealousy, sadness... Confusion.

'_How_?' She frowns, finding that needs to be addressed first.

'When I unlocked my werewolf side I suppose it brought certain aspects of my body back from the dead,' he shrugs, 'I do not pretend to understand it. As for the mother, it was a one night stand. You'll remember Tyler Lockwood's friend Hayley?'

'Wow,' she blinks, 'it hopefully wasn't conceived whilst we were together…'

'_She_ was conceived during the first few months of you being away, no emotional attachment, it was all drunken stupidity. As you had become a vampire by the time we had consummated our relationship-' she laughs at his choice of words '-I was unaware of my new child-bearing abilities.'

'So you have a daughter?' she smiles as he nods, 'Congratulations, Klaus. That's pretty amazing.'

They walk back through the square towards the dining room, and as she sits he begins to set out the tea. She thanks him and takes a sip – Earl Grey with one sugar, just the way she likes it.

'Unfortunately parenthood isn't all it was cracked out to be,' he sighs, 'As you can imagine, for little Hope it means she wears a great big target on her back due to her father's obsession for murder,' he gestures to himself unashamedly, 'for a while we had to fool people into thinking her dead.'

'Smart,' she shrugs, and a flash of appreciation travels through his eyes, but is quickly replaced with concern.

'Though now a powerful witch seeks her out. Dahlia, my mother's sister. They made a deal as youths – Dahlia would give my mother the ability to bear children, and in return each of our bloodline's first borns would be given to her.'

Klaus, looking down at his mug whilst speaking, takes this as an opportunity to have a drink of his own tea. Evie sighs, hanging her head in one hand as she processes this information.

'So, basically for your baby there's trouble around every corner?'

'Basically.'

'Oh, Klaus,' she shakes her head wistfully, 'so, is this what we're closeting our demons for?'

'After what happened back in Mystic Falls you'll understand me for not trusting you,' his eyes are full of an honesty that sends a pang of regret through her, but she nods. She could say the same to him, though she has managed to put to bed her annoyance at the monstrosities he committed during their time together, 'but I feel I understand you more than the others around me, and for that I would be grateful if you could help me protect Hope.'

'Well,' she grins, 'I can hardly say no to that. I'd love to help, as long as you keep a roof over my head…' She gestures at nothing in particular, 'this is a very nice roof.'

'Board in my home for help protecting my daughter?' He asks, and she nods, 'Deal.'

…

_Hey, guys… So it's been a while. I have just been catching up on the Originals and episode 17 has inspired me to carry this on. I gave it a couple of shot before but nothing seemed to run smoothly for me. I think Evie needed a break away from our favourite vampires for a while. But now she's back, and I'll be updating as much as possible, though I'm currently in my University assessment season until the end of May so updates might be slow. If anyone's still stuck around to read this, I hope you liked this (short) chapter and will read more!_

_ADD-ON: I got the timings way off so I edited this chapter._


	32. When the Levee Breaks

As they pass the kitchen again, Klaus orders one of the stragglers to take Evie to her room and fetch her some fresh clothes. Her heels clack against the stone steps as she follows on, and she finds herself anticipating taking the damn things off. As they walk around the square's balcony she gazes down at the floor below, finding herself lost once more in the old building's romantic beauty. She is led up yet another flight of stairs and things become slightly cramped, though cosier under the dim glow from a smattering of gas lamps.

'Here we are,' the human – no younger than eighteen, by the look of him – opens one of the white curtained, glass doors for her, and with a thank you she steps inside.

The room isn't nearly as grand as the rooms on the floor below, but she finds herself somewhat thankful for this. Stepping back in to the world of the original vampires is going to be grandeur enough. It will be nice to have some space away from that. Some space of her own. The walls are painted gold, and the basic furniture looks as though it's made from a deep coloured oak that matches the floorboards. There's a wardrobe with drawers fitted into the bottom and empty hangers at the top, a desk and chair and a double bed pushed into the corner of the room with a side table beside the available end. On it sits an old-fashioned, electric lamp that matches the modest chandelier on the ceiling and an old, wind-up alarm clock. To top it all off she has a small en-suite bathroom with a bath-and-shower combo, toilet and sink.

The human returns with her things, and before he leaves she compels him to blood let into a glass. As he does so she ciphers through her new clothes. They'll do, she supposes. There are a lot of plain vest tops, t-shirts and skin-tight jeans of various dark colours, but she can always go shopping when she gets a spare minute or two. She takes a shower, revelling in the hot water for a little longer than necessary after that nightmarish flight before heading back into her room, electing one of the purple vest tops and black jeans. Klaus knocks, entering as she is stood drying her damp hair with a towel. She gazes down at the city below from the outdoor balcony.

'It's a beautiful place,' she murmurs as he joins her.

'It is indeed,' he agrees, 'we lived here for many years before Mikael had us flee.'

'I'm sorry,' Evie says, and he turns to her, sensing that she is not apologizing for his father. 'I'm sorry for what part I played in everything, Klaus. I need you to know that.'

'Why are you here?' he asks, taking a step closer. She becomes acutely aware of how their hands rest so close on the balcony railing, and when she glances up again her eyes seem to magnetise to his lips.

'Because as beautiful as London is it's also lonely, and I didn't want to be alone anymore.'

'But you have your sister,' he frowns at her, shaking his head, 'you have a home back in Mystic Falls. So why _here_?'

Her throat swells with emotion, but she refuses to let herself speak and clear it. At that moment his phone rings from his pocket, and with an irritated sigh he pulls it out. Evelyn, relieved, heads back into the room, tossing the towel into the wash bin and grabbing at the glass of blood. She downs it in one, hoping some sustenance will help clear her foggy mind. Moments later, Klaus steps in too.

'We have a lunch date,' he says, 'Elijah's doing. It's with a friend.'

'_We_?' Evie asks, folding her arms, 'I'd rather stay here. The flight was long and I'm tired.'

'Yes, _we_, to stay true to our agreement you will have to attend.'

'Okay,' she mutters, sticking her tongue out at him when he flashes her a winning smirk.

'Your hair is lovely, by the way,' he says, teasing a lock with his fingers. She had it cut shoulder length three months ago, and when that brown-to-blonde style came in she jumped on the bandwagon.

'Thanks,' she eyes him suspiciously, 'what else do you want from me?'

'Can I not compliment a friend?' he asks, feigning innocence. Those big blue eyes of his could fool anyone less knowledgeable than herself.

'_Friend_,' she says the word firmly, hoping that reasserts her boundaries enough for the time being. She pushes his hand back down to his side and he grins wickedly.

'We must leave if we are to make our appointment,' he says, and with that she follows him out of the compound.

…

She can't help but be secretly pleased that she agreed to come with, when she lays eyes on the café he's brought her to. The rounded tables and chairs are situated underneath an adorable green and blue pastel, striped canopy, and the soft sound of jazz colours the scene from trumpeters stood at the side. As they gravitate towards the sitting area she smiles at two little boys, tap dancing in hopes of getting the change of an entertained tourist or two.

'Ah, there she is!' He says, and Evie turns to follow his line of vision. Sat at one of the tables is a pretty woman with shoulder length blonde hair. She offers him a pleased smile when she notices him.

'You came…' After a moment she seems to realise that Evie is with them, 'and brought a friend?'

'Evelyn Gilbert, meet Camille O'Connell,' He introduces. Evie reaches over to shake her hand.

'Nice to meet you, Camille,' she says.

'Please, call me Cami.'

'And call me Evie.'

Klaus pulls out one of the cushioned garden chairs for her, and she rolls her eyes at his gentlemanly manner. The pair of them engage in small talk up until the waiter has taken their drink orders, and then the discussion takes a more supernatural turn.

'So, why has my brother asked me here?'

'He wasn't too impressed when you'd refuse to stop painting. And he was non-too appreciative of you not telling him the whereabouts of Mikael's ashes, either.'

'Mikael?' Evie turns to Klaus with a surprised frown, 'how'd you manage to find his ashes…?'

'Ah, I forgot to mention he came back to life,' Klaus chuckles, 'just another day in the life of an Original, I suppose.'

'Not too shocking,' she glowers at him, 'you didn't bother to tell me _you_ were alive, so I shouldn't be too surprised about the lack of warning.'

'Now, now, sweetheart, the demons stay in the closet…'

'This conversation has taken an even more confusing turn than I expected,' Cami mutters, shaking her head as she glances from one to the other, 'I assumed you were freshly turned, Evie. Is there history, here…?'

Evelyn bats her eyelids at Klaus sweetly as he sighs. They stop for a moment as their drinks are delivered, though he knows he won't be avoiding that question easily.

'Evelyn is an old flame,' he explains. Evie doesn't miss how Cami's face falls, though she suspects Klaus does, 'we spent some time together back in Mystic Falls. And then she shoved her hand in my chest and doomed me to a sleep that _almost_ got me killed,' he smiles wickedly at her, 'and now she's here to apologise.'

'What was that about demons in the closet?' she growls, folding her arms across her chest and facing away from him, embarrassed at the mockery. He just chuckles.

'Fair enough,' Cami holds her hands up, 'wish I'd never asked. Anyway, I'm here to talk about Freya, really-'

'Can Elijah not leave it be?' Klaus asks, rolling his eyes.

'Have you ever thought about how hard it must've been for her, being raised by this woman? You of all people should at least have some compassion for that.'

'Yes, yes,' he mutters sarcastically, 'poor Freya, but that's my point exactly. I of all people know whether the parent raising you loves you or loathes you, they still form who you are. After all this time, am I not Mikael's son? And therefore is Freya not as dangerous as Dahlia herself?'

Klaus' lips form a smirk, and Evie stirs her hot chocolate to avoid any awkwardness. She is mildly confused as to what is going on but she'll ask him when they've finished with Cami.

'Mikael…' Cami says her words slowly, watching Klaus as though he's a time bomb, 'You formed an alliance with him, you fought beside him, and then you _killed_ him.'

'Yes, and as Evelyn so kindly brought up – it was for the _second_ time,' he looks up from his coffee and gives Cami an innocent smile, 'your point?'

She eyes him with disbelief and shakes her head, 'you don't have any feelings about that?'

Klaus becomes a bit more passionate, now, leaning his elbows against the table and clasping his hands together.

'My only feelings are a lingering sense of annoyance that he didn't stay dead the first time,' he's acting jovial, but Evie knows that this is always when Klaus is at his most dangerous – and she can see the frustration in his eyes.

'I don't believe you,' Cami says, going on despite the clarity of this, 'Mikael _raised _you.'

'And I ended him,' Klaus says slower, his voice taking on a hint of darkness. Cami draws back slightly, seeing that she is not getting through to him as much as she clearly wants to. She looks exasperated, and at this Klaus merely shrugs and smirks, 'after the first good day we ever had together we actually made quite the team, and just as when it looked as though we might for once be allies…' he looks amused again, 'I drove a stake through his heart.'

Cami looks down at her hands, pursing her lips as though at a loss for words. But then she looks him square in the eye again, and this time there's a grim sort of determination as she speaks.

'Because he said he loves Freya?'

Klaus eyes her back, though his smile falters.

'Or, maybe it's just what I do,' he leans back, and once again he's regained control. Their entire conversation is like some sort of twisted power play that Evie's having a hard time keeping up with, 'I kill my enemies. Sometimes my friends,' he takes on a sarcastic tone again, 'this may come as a surprise to you, Camille, but I'm not a terribly good person.'

His winning smirk at the end of this has her shifting in her seat, and Evelyn knows as well as Cami does that she's not going to get through to him.

'Come, Evie. We have places to be.'

He stands, and Evie does the same, feeling awkward as she exchanges a rushed goodbye with Cami. Klaus grabs his wallet from his back pocket, throws a twenty dollar note on the table and walks away. It takes a near-jog for her to catch up with his strides, something that frustrates her.

'Walk slower, moron,' she huffs, grabbing at his jacket sleeve. He stops and turns to her, giving her a look of annoyance.

'Freya is my sister,' he says, 'Oldest of the lot of us, bargained away to Dahlia, awakened from her century-long sleep and trying to escape her slavery.'

'But you don't trust her,' Evie guesses, earning a nod.

'Would you, given my position?' He begins walking again, though now he's slow enough for her to keep up easily.

'Probably not,' Evie admits, 'what you said about parents forming who we are… It's true, I guess. Never really thought of it that way, but it is.'

'She's powerful,' Klaus murmurs, 'and I barely know her.'

'It's not to say she can't be useful, at least,' Evie ponders, 'and she could turn out to be trustworthy if you give her a chance, just not where Hope's concerned.'

'Finally,' Klaus flashes her a grin, 'someone smarter than the others,' she smiles, 'though not smart enough,' her smile drops and she rolls her eyes. 'She wanted to transfer Rebekah into her original body-' he notices her confused look and catches himself at a lack of explaining again, '-apologies. Rebekah currently inhabits the body of a witch. A very dead witch, now, called Eva Sinclair, very dangerous, liked to kill children, not very popular amongst the covens.'

'Why doesn't Bekah want to get back to her normal body?' She asks.

'Children, and because she made a deal to bring Kol back-'

'You've lost me again. Kol?'

'Ah…' He stops now and places a hand on her arm, 'Kol is dead.'

Evie blinks, eyes widening in shock as her blood goes cold.

'Oh. I'm sorry.'

'And I for you, I know you were fond of my brother.' He continues walking and she does too.'

'I'm 'fond' of all your siblings, Klaus. I know we weren't all together for that long, but I care about you. Enough to give up the life I was trying to build for myself in London to waltz into this train wreck.'

'You love us really,' he says, and when she glances at him he's flashing her a daring smile. She wants to hit him for it, but at that moment she notices Elijah walking towards them and smiles, pleased for timely distractions she's getting today. 'Elijah!'

'Evelyn,' he looks surprised, but quickly gives her a polite smile, 'welcome to New Orleans. Klaus never told me you were here.'

'I only got here a few hours ago.'

'And how was the meeting with Camille?'

Klaus scoffs, 'your transparent attempts to therapize me failed, brother. I suggest you allow us to make our way home in peace.'

'Enough of the games, Niklaus,' Elijah sighs, 'now is not the time. Must I beseech you to stand with us?'

'If by 'us' you mean 'you and Freya' then I will _not_ be standing with you,' he replies, his tone taking on a hint of irritation.

'She is the best chance we have to save your child,' Elijah says.

'Yes,' Klaus stands in his path and pulls him aside, and Evie stops, ready to split them up if they start physically fighting, 'Elijah, _my_ child. Which is why, although she feigns innocence, I can't help but recall it was Freya who led our lunatic brother Finn to the safe house where he would have done _God knows what_ if you had not intervened.'

'I was a breath away from taking your life,' Elijah looks amused as he speaks, 'Just a few short years ago when you broke your curse, I held your beating heart in my hand. Do you recall that, Niklaus?' Klaus merely glowers in response, 'and now here we are. Still alive, still family, now we need her, Niklaus. Freya is our family. If you cannot see the greater picture here-'

'You see only around the next curve, and I am looking from above. Freya gave herself away when she complained of our single weapon to kill Dahlia… Now I _know_ there is a way to defeat our hated enemy without her.'

'Enlighten me and I will do everything in my power to _help_,' Elijah sounds exasperated now.

'Forsake Freya and I will let you in-'

'Klaus, this is insane! Hope is also my family. Now if you continue to walk this path you will lead her towards harm. Do not fail to understand me when I say this to you: I will do _whatever_ it takes to prevent this.'

They glare at one another for a prolonged moment, and Evie shifts her weight from foot-to-foot awkwardly.

'So will I,' Klaus mutters, 'so the choice remains yours, brother, Freya or me?'

He stalks off again and Elijah watches him go, clearly frustrated that this got him nowhere. Evie offers him a sympathetic smile before jogging to catch up herself.

'Klaus,' she calls, but he refuses to slow down this time, 'Nik! Wait, for God's sake!'

'I suppose you'll agree with him, after that,' Klaus hisses, 'that I should entrust my daughter's life with this potential threat?'

'Actually, no,' she shakes her head, feeling awkward at the amount of eyes that are now on them. When she looks back at him he's staring at her, appearing both shocked and appreciative. When she speaks again her voice is quieter, 'if she and Dahlia are similar then we can't. She may have all the right intentions, so I don't exactly agree that we should treat her like a complete monster, but we can't let her anywhere near Hope or your plans for her.'

She is surprised when he leans over to place a kiss on her forehead, and when he pulls away he is smiling at her.

'Thank you, Evelyn. You are the first person to actually listen to me, treat me as though I am not mad…'

'I never said that,' she raises her brow and he glowers slightly, 'but you've done a hell of a good job avoiding trouble with that paranoid, strategic mind of yours. I'd rather you than her.'

'Well then,' he grins, 'would you care to be let in on the plan?'

'As long as no compulsion's involved,' she nods, 'if I'm trusting you I want you to trust me.'

'This isn't about trust,' he sighs, 'this is about protecting my daughter. I trust _her_ life with no one's but my own. Please, understand that.'

Evelyn turns away, admiring the crowds of humans passing them by. She finds herself thinking back to all the times he'd taken advantage of her and wonders why she bothered to come back… But is he not right? This isn't about her, this is about his daughter, and she is sure that in his position she would trust few-to-none as he does. When she turns back to him and sees that he's looking down at her with an expression as close to desperation as he can possibly get, she nods.

'Anyway,' she smiles, 'do I get to meet the little one anytime soon?'

'She's in a safe house, at present. Hayley and her pack are watching over her.'

'You left your baby with a bunch of wolves with a massively powerful witch at large?' She asks, raising her brows in a way that's screams _bad idea_.

'No, Evelyn, I'm hardly that incompetent. We had the witch regent cast protection spells upon the place.'

'It's surely not going to hold her out forever, if she's really as powerful as you say…'

'I am very well aware of that,' he snaps, and she feels herself getting angrier at his grouchy attitude.

'I'm not saying it for your benefit, so if you snap at me one more time, Nik…'

'We have to go get Hope,' he says, ignoring her complaint, 'move her to the compound. I doubt the spells will have long left.'

'Sounds like a plan,' Evie nods, 'besides; it'll be nice to see Hayley again.'

'Hmm, I wouldn't be too sure of that…'

…

It's nightfall by the time they get to Hope's safe location. It's a very remote place which isn't too surprising. What is surprising – or worrying, rather – is the out of control vines coating the walls of said 'safe' place. Growing from a few of them are the most violent looking flowers Evie has ever seen. They are a vibrant red on the outside, the petals leaning backward awkwardly towards the stem. Further to the centre the colour morphs into a deep red, a shade of which she is sure would make any human uncomfortable. What brings her a deep set unease is how spiked the petals are, and how their appearance contrast with the sickly-sweet scent hanging heavy in the air.

'They're Dahlias,' Klaus says, and she notices he'd become enthralled with them too. 'Come,' His face is set in determination as he stalks inside. If she had been alone she would have entered slowly and with ease, but in fear of being left on her own in a place like this she hurries after him. It has been a long time since she has feared for her safety. She supposes it's a risk you have to take around others of your kind. Others of other kinds… She hugs herself, hanging behind him as the feel of magic builds like a dark cloud around them. She has never felt a witch's power like this, it's terrifying. Soon the darkened, vine-and-dahlia covered corridor gives way to a dusty, abandoned bar. Inside are Elijah and Hayley, along with an adorable baby bundled up in a carrier on the counter in the room beside them. She looks to be a couple of months old at the most.

'That's it, you're coming with me to the compound,' Klaus orders, with not so much as a greeting as he stalks over to them.

'Where Dahlia sent Josephine this morning?' Hayley scoffs, 'no way, we'd be sitting ducks just like we will be here as soon as that spell breaks…' her facial expression sets into that of determination as she squares him up, 'which is why we have to go. Jackson is out getting supplies, and then we're taking the wolves and we're heading to the bayou.'

'The swamp?' Klaus' anger builds, 'so my child can be protected by the very wolves Dahlia so easily defeated? Absolutely _not_.'

'Y'know, I am _so_ over taking advice from you, Klaus. All it has done so far is put Hope in danger. From now on I'm gonna do what I wanna do. We're leaving.'

With that Hayley goes to pass him, presumably to collect Hope, but Klaus grabs at her arm and she immediately stiffens before whacking it away. Evelyn's unease builds.

'You're not going anywhere unless I tell you to,' he hisses.

'I am _not_ your prisoner, Klaus!' Hayley snaps.

'Both of you, _please_.' Elijah says exasperatedly, 'you're playing into Dahlia's hands.'

'Not doing as I say plays into her hands,' Klaus argues, 'while you two have been kowtowing to Freya and devising ways to flee with your tail between your legs, I have been forging a new path. I know what Freya was planning, and I know how to kill Dahlia.'

'I'm sick of you thinking that you know everything,' Hayley growls, '_I_ am just as capable of protecting _our_ baby as you are, maybe even better!'

'You're going to want to hear him out,' Evie butts in, shifting uncomfortably as all eyes land on her, 'give him a minute.'

'And who are _you_?' Hayley asks, narrowing her eyes as she steps into her comfort zone, 'oh wait, you're that girl from Mystic Falls. Klaus' little girlfriend, why the hell would I listen to _you_?'

Evie growls threateningly, and Klaus places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

'Now, now, ladies,' he smirks, and then turns to Hayley once more, 'may I explain now…?' when no one objectifies he continues, 'Freya objectified to us making a single weapon because it spoilt her plan-'

'KLAUS!' A male voice yells, and the four of them turn to see a shaggy-haired man burst through with a limp body slung over his shoulder.

'Oh my God,' Hayley yelps, rushing over to them; Evelyn assumes from her reaction that she knows who these people are.

'What happened?'

'Klaus made Aiden spy on us, instead he told me everything so he _killed_ him.'

Evelyn's so fixated on the corpse in front of her that she doesn't really register what the shaggy man just said. With a pang of sorrow she realizes – this is the guy who had let her into the Abattoir earlier. Blood leaks out the gruesome opening in his chest, staining his shirt and dripping stickily onto the table he's been set on. Three, deep scratches lie cruelly on one paled cheek, and both despite and due to being a vampire she feels her empty stomach churn sickeningly.

'You killed him? One of the wolves sworn to protect our daughter?' Hayley asks, her voice shaking with grief as she turns to Klaus.

'So what if I did?'

Catching up, Evie's eyes snatch from the body to Klaus, and she realizes exactly what he's doing – taking the blame for this _clearly_ framed murder – but she cannot begin to understand _why_.

'_This_ is what happens to anyone who dares _cross_ me!' He growls, pointing down at the corpse.

'Just give us the word, Jackson,' one of the other wolves sneers, glaring at Klaus in fury.

'Yes! Come and have a go! But you'll be putting your life on the line for one who is all too willing to betray you! Perhaps this never would've happened if he'd had a _real_ alpha!'

Jackson snaps, launching forward and throwing his fist at Klaus with as much force as he can muster. The hybrid leaps back, though unfortunately he's not fast enough. Furious, Klaus forces the wolf back, and Jackson skids painfully across the floor. In response Hayley pushes Klaus away, screaming with rage. As soon as Klaus returns the favour Elijah jumps in, putting himself between the now enraged Jackson and Klaus. He has both of them by the throat, though he turns to Jackson rather than Klaus, his eyes full of a fearful warning.

'Do you wish to die?' he almost whispers. Hayley pushes Elijah out of the way, furious and clearly misunderstanding what he meant.

'D'you want to kill me too, Elijah?' She hisses. He becomes uncomfortable as she stares him down, and Evie gets the feeling that's the last thing he wants to do.

'You come at him,' Elijah growls, glancing around at everyone, 'you come at me.'

Klaus becomes cockier, as he stays behind Elijah. With a grin he turns to the wolves.

'You lot should make better use of your time!' he drawls, 'I suggest burying your _dead_.'

'GET OUT!' Hayley growls, her voice faltering with a mix of hate and despair.

'Niklaus, you mentioned a plan, I recommend you begin. Hayley and Hope are safe for the time being, they're not going anywhere,' Elijah's says, his voice strained with exasperation and annoyance. Klaus is stood smirking at Jackson, and Evie shakes her head at him in disbelief – of course he is too busy being a dick to notice.

'Shan't be long,' he teases, and then he's stalking out of the place, and despite her ever building annoyance at the _point_ of lying about this she follows.

He rushes off, and despite being a vampire his hybridism combined with his age make him much faster than her. She manages to catch up with him just as he's entering the compound. As she enters she slams the gate behind her, and he stops in his tracks.

'What the _hell_ was that?' Evelyn growls, staring at his back as she lets go, 'I've been with you all _day_, you didn't kill him! Why would you take the blame like that?'

He turns, eyes full of exasperation as he murmurs her name.

'Why would you do it?' She says, louder now as she steps forward, refusing to let him bail out, 'Did you? _Did_ you kill him? Did you compel me to forget that, too?'

'Why come here if you think that way?' he asks, features twisting into anger as he speaks, 'to see for yourself, or morbid curiosity, or to find a new piece for your long standing puzzle of putting back together the immortal bastard?' He mocks, though there's no humour in his voice. Evelyn feels her anger dissipate, though this is only slight. She is somewhat embarrassed that he thinks she's here for that – to fix him. However broken he is it's not that. But before she can say anything he begins again, closing the distance as he speaks, 'if I tell you _who_ I am and you refuse to believe it then I can hardly be blamed for your disappointment!' He shakes his head, giving her a look of disgust, 'do remember you helped put me down for actions like this!' And he stalks away.

'That's just it, Klaus!' She rasps, her throat tight with emotion as she strides after him, 'I wish I did believe you! And you know what? Maybe you were right,' he stops again, and she does too, 'maybe about everything, even Freya. Maybe she's not what she seems, maybe she is out to get you and twisting everyone against you, and maybe she is this _terrible_ person; but you know what she _didn't_ do, Klaus?' She spends a moment catching her breath, willing herself not to cry, 'she didn't just kill an innocent guy to make a _point_,' she can't stop, now she's started it's like a tap she can't shut off, 'and you can't blame me for wondering these things. After all this time, _after you tried to kill my sister_, I _don't_ believe you did it!'

'I _didn't_,' he admits, growling the answer as he turns to her with repressed tears in his eyes. Evie relaxes, feeling the relief flood through her as he tells her the truth. He stares back at her, looking fearful now he's told the truth.

'Then why did you tell them that you did?' she asks whilst wiping tears from her cheeks.

'If I have spilled crescent blood then Hayley will be forced to question her pack's loyalty to Hope, and she will _not_ run.'

'But if they don't protect her then who-'

'Only _I _can save her!' He yells, forming his hands into fists and appearing exasperated more than anything, 'and I _need_ them to fear me!'

She lets out a shaky breath, processing the information. Back in Mystic Falls he had wanted this, too. He wanted _everyone_ who was trying to help him to fear him. Nothing in the space of them being apart has changed that… She wonders how long he's been like this, and if there's any way that he could ever change.

'Am I supposed to fear you, too?' she asks in a voice so small she would wonder if he'd heard if not for their heightened senses. For a second his shoulders drop and his face softens, but he quickly swipes all physical signs of emotions as he replies:

'It would be better for you if you did... For you to believe I am the monster they would paint me as,' emotion returns, though now he offers her a sad smile as he continues, 'and then one day when all this was past, I might find you and profess my innocence.' He closes the space between them, and Evelyn feels helpless to the surge of all the emotions she's felt today, just standing and watching numbly, 'and because you're you, you would believe me… and we would pass a perfect afternoon in a corner café together,' his hand comes up to cup her cheek, and the second his palm is against her skin her breath catches. She leans into the touch, eyes closing as she becomes lost to the sensation. He adds, in a whisper: 'and I would wish for nothing more.'

She opens her eyes, and she knows that her expression must be utterly heart-breaking. She feels it; for that is possibly one of the most beautiful pictures he has ever painted her. It's also impossible, and that is something that cuts deep.

'A better man would protect you with that lie,' he murmurs, taking his hand away slowly, as though there's so much else he'd rather do, 'but I am not that man. And so I leave you with the burden of a truth that no one will believe.'

And finally he leaves, and she watches him retreat, having no energy left to chase after him anymore. She falls down onto one of the cushioned seats and gazes up at the fairy lights adorning a particularly thick bunch of ivy, attempting to ground herself after that conversation. The more time passes the more she regrets it. She came back here because she missed him, not so they could magically pick up where they left off. This past year has changed her; she doesn't want to dive blindly back into such a – let's face it – toxic relationship. Feeling slightly better but frustrated at her weakness, she pushes herself off the chair and heads to her room.

Once upstairs she changes into her pyjamas, staring longingly at her golden-quilted bed. It takes her a minute to notice the mini-fridge that now sits beside her desk, and upon opening it she smiles as she notices it's stacked with blood bags. She's certain that it was a gift from Elijah, and as she pours the contents of one into a glass she makes a mental note to thank him. But just as she's about to settle into bed she catches sight of a heated conversation taking place between Klaus and Elijah. For a minute she wonders if she should get involved, but surely after defending him Elijah won't exactly do anything too rash… And then she hears the sounds that can be nothing but two originals having at each other, and with a frustrated sigh she kicks the covers back and rushes downstairs.

'What the _hell_ are you two-'

She enters just as the dagger is forced into Klaus' chest. The anguished sounds he chokes on, the image before her, Elijah's sad-yet-determined expression… It reminds her of everything from that day.

'For Hope,' Elijah murmurs, as though that's an explanation for what he's doing. Evelyn shakes her head wildly and goes to tell him that _no, Klaus didn't kill that guy, everything he's doing is part of his plan_- but she can't. Because Klaus compelled her to tell no one of his plans, and with a pang of dread she realises that his compulsion extends to this, too. Klaus' eyes land on her as his skin turns a sickly grey, and Elijah follows his line of vision. He drops his brother's body to the ground and clasps her head in his hands.

'Get _off_ me!' She growls, eyes turning dark as she hisses menacingly at him.

'You will not remove that dagger from Niklaus under any circumstance,' he says, compelling her before it's too late. Tears pool in her eyes as she chokes once again on the words Klaus stopped her from saying. As she gazes down at his lifeless body, and a dark-skinned woman she assumes to be Rebekah steps out from the shadows, followed by an unfamiliar blonde who _must_ be Freya, a chilling tune fills the air, played by the bells at the top of the church opposite.

...

_I hope you enjoyed! Apologies for any mistakes, it's 12:11am in the UK and I just finished the chapter, I'm too tired to edit right now but wanted to get this up. I'll fix any mistakes tomorrow! Also I edited the last chapter after realizing my timings were way off, apologies for that too! Thanks for reading! :)_

_Update: editing complete._


	33. City Beneath the Sea

'I feel useless.'

Evelyn has conjured up Klaus' art room for their shared dream, finding it is probably one of her favourite places in the compound. She is sat on the ground with her back to the wall and knees hugged tightly to her chest, all the while he paints the sunrise outside. Upon hearing her say that he sighs, pauses and looks over his shoulder to her.

'You did whatever you could,' he says, glowering at the floorboards, 'it's my own daft fault for compelling you. Perhaps if I'd trusted you-'

'No bother beating yourself up over something that'll never happen,' she laughs bitterly, 'I came to terms with that a while back. No need to burden yourself.'

'I'm detecting a heavy use of sarcasm,' he mumbles, turning back to his work.

'Well, the compulsion has come back to bite you on the ass. What're we going to do now?'

'I am going to be here,' he says, gesturing to their surroundings, 'and you are going to keep an eye on the others. You may not be able to un-dagger me, but you can watch over them. When I am awakened you can tell me all about it.'

'So you want be to _spy_?' she asks, raising her brows as his features twist into a false look of pondering.

'I prefer to call it data collection.'

'God, you're a dick,' she mumbles, pushing herself off the ground. She walks over to him and peers over his shoulder at the painting, 'at least you can paint.'

'Thank you,' he grins, 'now go. If you find anything significant do pay another visit.'

'Alright.'

…

When she opens her eyes she's in what they call 'the garden,' sat on a stool beside the coffin his body lays in, cupping one grey, veined hand in both of her own. It is way past sunrise in real time. The midday sun streams heavily through the small, rectangular windows in the very tops of the walls, making the dust motes in the room hyper-visible with her heightened senses. She frowns at them and stands, and with a start realises she is not alone.

'Elijah,' she says through shaking breath, 'I didn't know you were still here.'

'I wanted to speak with you, if you would give me a moment of your time.' He gestures to the doorway and she eyes it disdainfully. She knows that Klaus wants her to play spy, but really she'd rather just stay and find a way to wake him. Plus she is about eighty percent sure Elijah is trying to distract her. Despite all of this, she eventually nods and stands, walking with him.

'What is it?' she asks.

'It's about your sudden arrival,' he murmurs, offering her a sympathetic smile, 'I understand why you would want to return to my brother, considering your prior affair, and you may think I am speaking out of turn. However, I do care for your wellbeing, and because of this I think you should leave.'

'What-?'

She situates herself in his path, bringing them both to a halt. With a heavy sigh he places his hand on the iron gate of the room, glancing back at his brother's body.

'Do not mistake this for annoyance. I find your company quite endearing, but my brother has brought you nothing but trouble. You may be a vampire now but you are still so young. You could be free, Evelyn. Free to pursue anything you desire. This is not a freedom my brother will grant you if you choose to stay.'

'You were right,' she narrows her eyes at him; 'you are speaking out of turn.'

'I thought as much,' he replies, smiling sheepishly yet managing to look unashamed, 'but I believe you at least know what I am telling you is true.'

'I came back because I was lonely,' Evie explains, holding a hand up as he attempts to speak again, 'despite it being none of your business – there it is. I didn't want to go back to Mystic Falls, so I came here. I haven't come back to pursue a relationship with Klaus or whatever, I just always felt like he has understood me a hell of a lot more than everybody else. And I want to help him – I want to protect Hope.'

'Helping Klaus and protecting my niece are not explicitly interlinked,' he argues, 'and you'll forgive me for not believing you capable of waltzing back into his life as no more than a _friend_,' his eyes flash with amusement at the thought, a mockery that causes her to ball her hands into fists.

'As I said before, it's none of your business,' she hisses, 'and fine, whatever, maybe they're not linked. But _you'll_ forgive _me_ if I need proof of this before I start working behind his back, if the need ever comes up.'

'Of course,' Elijah beams, 'come, I want to introduce you to someone.'

…

When they arrive at the church they have around three staircases to climb, but when that's finally out of the way they end up in some sort of storage room-turned-witchy lair. The natural glow of the sunlight is limited by the shutter blinds hanging from every possible window, and this lack-of combined with the flickering orange of candlelight has Evie scrunching her nose in distaste. How she wants to make a sarcastic remark, but Freya is stood finishing up lighting aforementioned candles.

'Elijah,' Freya says, though her eyes are on Evie, 'we have company?'

'Freya, this is Evelyn Gilbert, a former lover of my brother's.'

She appears disgraced by this, but manages to compose herself into politeness as she bows her head in greeting.

'You can call me Evie,' she says, toying with her hands. She feels nervous around the newest addition to their family, yet still attempts to joke; 'you all really need to start introducing me by my chosen name.'

'You'll forgive us,' Elijah murmurs, 'old formalities die hard.'

'That's not exactly how the saying goes,' Evie replies, arching a brow.

'No matter,' Freya interrupts, 'where is the child now?'

'Gone,' Elijah replies, which gathers the attention of both women.

'_Gone_?' Freya repeats, clearly frustrated by this, 'Elijah, you need to get her back here immediately,' she turns dramatically and stalks over to a table coated in magical-looking artefacts.

'When Dahlia has been defeated, for now she is safe with her mother,' he mutters.

'Nowhere is safe from Dahlia,' Freya argues, sifting through her handwritten spell work, 'and we will have no chance of ending her without that baby.' Elijah shifts his weight, physically discomforted.

'What are you saying?' he demands.

'Dahlia's protected by powerful magic, with collected items that represent her vulnerabilities – sacred soil, the ash of a fallen Viking and the blood of the witch who broke her heart-'

'Yours,' Elijah says knowingly.

'Yes,' she begins setting out a spell whilst speaking, 'I will use these ingredients to create a killing ground where Dahlia will be rendered mortal, but we need to lure her there, Elijah.'

'Are you suggesting we that I position my _niece_ as bait?'

Freya pauses, pursing her lips in annoyance as she stands up straighter. Elijah eyes her with a look of annoyance as her actions make clear the answer.

'Well that's convenient,' Evie scoffs, narrowing her eyes at Freya, 'asking for something that stupid when Klaus isn't around to say no.'

'_Klaus_ cannot be reasoned with,' she argues.

'You can't _honestly_ believe I would allow you to do this?' Elijah scoffs.

'What I believe is that you will make the right choice,' Freya snaps, leaning over the table between them, 'for Hope. There is no other way to keep her from the miserable existence I endured,' the witch begins scattering salt onto what look like herbs, 'one of slavery and tyrant.'

'Of course, if Dahlia does die you will also be free of that tyranny. No more running or hiding, so do not insult my intelligence by painting your actions as selfless.'

'If you will not bring Hayley back here,' Freya spits, 'I will find Hope myself. As I said, there's no other way.'

Evelyn goes to stalk over to Freya and give her a few choice words, but Elijah clasps her arm in an iron grip before she gets the chance. The witch sneers at her in response, and without a farewell Elijah hastily rushes Evie to the door and pushes her out.

'What're you _doing_?' she seethes, 'if that bitch gets a hold of Hope-'

'I will ensure she does no such thing, but using violence is not the answer,' Elijah says, giving her a look of pure judgement. She glowers at him but says nothing, watching as he takes his phone from his jacket pocket.

'I believe Camille wants to see me,' he murmurs, 'come.'

She wants to tell him where to stick it and go off on her own, but remembering Klaus' orders she follows on instead – which seems like all she has done since she got to New Orleans. A few streets over they step into a bar. This one is a lot more contemporary than that of yesterday, and various humans work to stock up the shelves and clean the place for the evening. As soon as they appear in the doorway Cami throws Elijah a glare.

'I left you a _dozen_ messages,' she growls.

'Family crisis,' he murmurs.

'You could say that,' Evie scoffs, folding her arms sulkily.

'Have you spoken to Klaus?' Cami asks, ignoring the bickering jibe.

'Well, briefly…'

'Before he put a dagger through his heart,' Evie adds with a casual, sarcasm-laced tone.

'No,' Cami shakes her head, but her eyes are on Evie, 'you didn't say anything?'

'I can't,' Evie defends, 'wait- how the hell do _you_ know?'

Cami's cheeks fill with colour as she looks to the floor, shoulders tightening as she awkwardly toys with her hands, 'I stopped by, last night… and overheard your conversation.'

'_Wow_,' Evie growls, but Elijah cuts her off.

'Tell me _what_?' he snaps in question.

'Elijah,' Cami says, 'Klaus didn't kill Aiden. He just took the blame because of some insane edict about making people fear him.'

At first Elijah looks taken aback by this new information, but after that fleeting moment he turns to Evelyn with a look of annoyance.

'And why did _you_ not tell me this?'

'I _can't_,' she reminds him, emphasising the last word in hopes that he'll understand. He does, and with that he appears somewhat victorious, yet also sympathetic.

'Is this not precisely why you shouldn't be here?' he asks, his voice laced with exasperation, 'he doesn't trust you, he will _never_ trust you.'

'_Again_ with the stuff you have no business in. Butt out of my life, Elijah. I _chose_ to be here and I _consented_ to _his_ compulsion.'

A flicker of guilt crosses his features, and she shakes her head in disgust before turning away.

'Nevertheless,' he continues, 'if I had left Niklaus standing, the very army protecting Hope would have dissolved.'

'But you can't just _leave_ him like that whilst his daughter's in danger!' Cami argues.

'Please,' Elijah scoffs, looking down as he says, 'your feelings are clouding your judgements.'

'Again with this,' Evie sighs.

'_My_ feelings?' Cami asks.

'For my brother,' Elijah says exasperatedly, 'I'm not a fool, Camille. Although I valued our time together in the safe house make no mistake: I was in your head as much as you were in mine.'

'How long are you going to leave him like that? Five years, ten, a lifetime? ' she breathes, looking uncomfortable.

'Until Hope is safe,' he replies, finally breaking eye contact, 'now, I need your help. Evelyn, if you would wait outside.'

'Y'know,' she narrows her eyes, 'you're probably the biggest hypocrite in existence.'

'_Outside_.'

Enraged, she storms out just to get away from him, wishing there was something she could do to get that damn dagger out of Klaus' chest. Right now she'd revel in whatever punishment he'll surely have in store.

…

Despite his highlighted hypocrisy, Elijah leaves Evelyn compelled to the confinement of the compound before heading off with Cami. Imprisoned, she heads to her room to collect a blood bag and then down to the garden once more. She may not be able to help him, but she can at least keep him company. As she steps into view of his body she feels her breath catch in her throat. He looks absolutely helpless. He _is_ absolutely helpless. Placing her glass on the ground beside her stool, she takes a seat and clutches his hand in her own. Though this time they are not in his art room, and they are not alone. The room flickers for a few moments upon her entering, and the dark-haired woman stood in front of Klaus narrows her eyes at her.

'You interrupted my trance,' she snaps.

'Forgive me for not realising there _was_ one to interrupt,' Evie mutters, 'there was no one around. Usually you have to have physical contact to induce this state.'

'Can she be trusted?' the woman asks, turning to Klaus.

'Indeed,' he nods, 'I compelled her.'

Dispelling any thoughts of what Elijah said on this topic earlier, she turns back to the woman with a mistrusting frown.

'Who're you?'

'This,' Klaus interrupts, 'is Dahlia. She's trying to show me that my mother isn't a very good person,' he grins, 'I already knew that.'

'She left me for one of the many men who slaughtered our village and stole us away,' Dahlia murmurs, stroking back the hair of a girl who looks very much like a younger version of herself, 'my own sister abandoned me, just as your siblings have done.'

Klaus shifts his weight and looks towards Evie, who is watching the exchange with apprehension. When his eyes meet hers she wants to shake her head, but in fear of losing whatever trust he _does_ have in her she remains still.

'Like you, I have been unjustly painted as the villain of the story.'

Her younger self stands and storms over to a candle and spell book covered table, pushing its contents off and screaming in rage. She continues to smash whatever she comes into contact with, and Klaus turns to her with an annoyed expression.

'If you have a deal to propose then find my body and un-dagger me!'

'No,' she sighs as she stands, wiping tears from her cheeks yet still sounding frustrated, 'I have the means to un-dagger you, I am just not finished here.'

'I don't _care_ about my mother!' he argues, growling the words.

'What I have to show you next is not _about_ your mother, it's about your daughter!' Dahlia snaps, 'and if you have _any_ chance to save her from what is to come I suggest you listen!'

Shocked and silenced by this, Klaus merely nods; Evelyn steps closer, not caring much for boundaries as she clings onto his arm with both hands, feeling uncomfortable in Dahlia's territory yet not wanting to leave him alone with her. With a blink they are elsewhere, surrounded by lifeless trees for miles on end. The sky is a murky grey, and the air is full of the dank scent of wet dirt. In front of them there's a self-made camp fire, and on the right of this a small table with a bowl full of what Evelyn assumes is witch stuff. On their right is a hut that she assumes past-Dahlia lived in.

'Very cliché,' Klaus calls, 'tell me, did you inspire Grimm lore? Enslaving a young girl in a hut on the edge of a dark forest? I suppose you plan for this to be Hope's fate?'

'I did not enslave Freya, I kept her from those who abused our craft, demonised us… And most importantly I shielded her.'

Dahlia is interrupted by Freya pushing through the space between Klaus and herself. Evelyn turns to her, admiring the rough looking yellow dress past-Freya adorns as she throws a couple of flowers into the fire. Enraged, she holds her hand over the dying embers and brings the flames to life. They rise so high they lick at her fingers, yet she doesn't seem keen to stop; startled by this, past-Dahlia stumbles out of the hut.

'Freya,' she calls worryingly, clutching a tree to assist herself down the short ledge to where Freya is stood. She looks down at the once again dying fire, frowning at something. 'Where did you get the Yarrow flower?' Anger floods her eyes as she realises, 'you _cannot_ go past the stream, it is too dangerous!'

'Then where shall I go?' Freya shouts, 'to the hovel? Or maybe your garden- oh no, I'm not allowed to venture that far. I might encounter another person and you would not _stand_ for that!'

'People are frightened of that which they do not understand!' She cups Freya's cheeks, 'they will only hate you.'

'I HATE THIS PLACE!' She shrieks; yanking Dahlia's hands away, 'I want to see more than the _same_ trees, the _same_ hills, a _face_ that _isn't_ yours!'

Her rage ignites a terrifying strength of uncontrolled magic. Whatever decomposing leaves are left on the floor are picked up as a swirl of heavy wind encompasses the area. Freya clutches her head in her hand as though holding it together.

'Control yourself,' past-Dahlia shouts, drawing closer. Blood drips from her nose as she sobs to herself, 'Focus!' she begins throwing it up too, and Dahlia says her name in fear now. Freya screams, looking up at the flying leaves with pain in her eyes. Dahlia kneels as she does and pulls her into her arms. After a moment she clasps her head in her hands and forces her to face her.

'Sing with me, calm your heart.'

Freya does as she is told, and Evelyn recognises it as the chimes of the church's bells last night. Feeling even more discomforted than she already had, her grip tightens on Klaus' arm. He looks away from the scene to her, studying her face keenly. Evelyn attempts to plead with him with her eyes – she doesn't like this, she doesn't trust Dahlia, she wants to understand why he's still listening to her.

'She was completely out of control,' he murmurs, turning back to the scene. The heavy winds lessen as they continue to hum that damn melody.

'First-born witches of this bloodline possess devastating power,' Dahlia explains.

'You say that this is what's to come for Hope?'

'Hope will suffer _far_ more than Freya,' Dahlia almost scoffs, 'Hope's magic will be tainted by a thirst for blood as well as an aggressive wolf temperament. Without the proper tutorage that only I can provide, Hope's power will grow unchecked. She will lash out at everyone, including you. She will devastate the city that you love and then her terror will spread _far_ beyond… I too am a first born, so I was the only one to help save Freya from herself, just as I am the only one who can save your daughter!' He shifts doubtfully and Dahlia's eyes become pleading, 'you've seen it, Klaus. You _need_ me.'

With a start Evie is pulled from the trance. After she gets over the disorientation she notices the hand on her arm and looks up. As soon as she notices it belongs to Elijah she sends him a glare.

'What do you want now?' she hisses.

'For you to not go running to my brother whenever you acquire information he does not yet know,' he murmurs, 'he has you wrapped around his little finger, doesn't he?'

'Give it a rest,' she groans.

'Miss him already?' A dark-skinned male enters, looking from Elijah to Evie with a confused expression, 'who's this?'

'Klaus' ex-girlfriend,' Elijah says, and the man narrows his eyes.

'And you let her down here?'

'I had to keep her in the house,' he replies, turning to him, 'Klaus did not kill Aiden, Marcel.'

Marcel turns back to Klaus' body and sighs, running a hand over his buzzed hair, 'so, who the hell did it then?'

'Freya, Dahlia, any number of witches with the desire to turn me against my brother.'

'Hmm,' Marcel hums, 'so given that taking out enemies is sort of Klaus' forte, you thinking about pulling that dagger out?'

Evelyn turns to watch Elijah, who stares into space for a moment before shaking his head.

'Until it is safe I would rather not unleash that Shakespearean rage.'

'Well, whoever did frame him for Aiden's death got us to take our biggest weapon off the table, which means,' Marcel turns to Elijah with a shrug, 'you're going to have to think like him.'

Elijah finally looks guilty, something that Evie wishes she could thrive in, but if he is refusing to remove the dagger then she's not really won, has she? His phone vibrates, pulling him from gazing sadly at his desiccating brother. Evelyn and Marcel watch as he reads whatever message he has received, and after a brief moment of silence he turns to Marcel.

'They have a plan,' he murmurs, 'we have to collect a vial of Hope's blood.'

'Are they at the bayou?' Marcel asks, to which Elijah nods.

'I will go,' he says, 'you should leave, Marcel. I am going to prepare this place for the fight, and when it begins you may not want to be around.'

Marcel nods and heads off with a flash, Elijah turns his attention to Evelyn who is glaring at him, arms folded over her chest defiantly.

'What about me?' she sneers.

'You will remain here,' he meets her eyes, 'but shall stop inviting my brother into trances.'

'As soon as all this is over I'm going to start taking vervain,' she hisses, veins rising and eyes changing in her fury at a second bout of non-consensual compulsion. He turns and walks away, 'you complain Klaus is using me, but he didn't force compulsion on me! And here you are, pretending to be _moral_.'

He's long gone by this point. She presses her back against the wall beside the head of the coffin and sighs, willing herself not to cry out of frustration. She remains there for some time, holding her head in her hands, finding it hard to regret coming back yet exhausted by the happenings of the past few days alone; but she is here for a reason and she'll be damned if any of this chases her away. At a loss for anything to do, she slides into a sitting position, resting the side of her head against the coffin and closing her eyes.

She is scared to tell Klaus why she really came back. The thoughts had grown like weeds in her mind, rooting their way into her subconscious and blooming into something that left a vile, deep ache in the pit of her stomach. How she tried ignoring them, but no state of intoxication or lips of another man could make it go away… Make _him_ go away. She forces her eyes open, hoping that by doing so she will find something to ground herself with. Her gaze lingers on the light seeping through those tiny windows, and eventually the contrast in brightness sets off a headache that draws her thoughts away from the 'demons in their closet.'

Evelyn remains there for a good few hours, finding serenity in the vacancy of overpowering thoughts. This spell of silence is broken, however, when she hears a gasp from above. Her eyes widen, breath catching in her throat as she stands. Of course Dahlia would wake him – how could she overlook that? The risen veins in his face sink, and she takes his hand to watch the colour flood back into his skin. After a moment of waiting he lifts his free hand to the dagger and forces it from his chest.

'Thank God,' she breathes in relief, backing away slightly as he stumbles out of the coffin.

'Blood,' he rasps.

'Take some of mine,' she offers, clutching his arms to steady him. He clasps her elbows as she does so, and when he's stopped swaying on his feet he sinks his teeth into her neck. In any other circumstance she'd offer her wrist, but desiccation seems to have done a pretty big number on him. He is courteous, only taking what he needs to be able to stand without help. When he's finished he remains hold of her long enough to place a kiss on the already healing bite, and she has to grind her teeth to stop the shiver that threatens her spine.

'Let's go,' she says, 'we should both feed before the hunger gets worse.'

'_Elijah,_' Evie picks up Hayley's voice with her hyper-hearing, and it seems Klaus does the same. His eyes burn with anger as he stalks upstairs, and she follows; they stop just outside the living room, where Elijah and Rebekah are stood hovering over a cell phone.'_I'm calling to say goodbye. Hope and I… we can't be a part of your family anymore. All Hope's life her family has tried to destroy her, that can't be my little girl's story. Family is supposed to love you, and even if she is free of Dahlia's first born curse Hope would still be Klaus' daughter. She'd inherit a thousand years of enemies, all his anger and rage; I don't want Hope to be a Mikaelson… All the pain that comes with that name, she doesn't deserve that. Elijah, I… Goodbye._'

'She's right, Elijah,' Rebekah says.

Klaus turns and walks in the other direction. Confused, Evelyn does the same, catching up to him much quicker thanks to his drained state. Feeling weak, she refrains from saying anything, just silently following him until they reach a street with a stairwell leading to some underground tunnels. He pushes a rusted gate open and waits for her to join him, and when she has they enter together. Dahlia is stood performing magic on a table surrounded by candlelight, and when she sees them she smiles.

'I _knew_ you were the smartest of your siblings,' she drawls, 'no brute Viking blood in those veins... I'm glad to see you made the right decision.'

'I never cared for Hayley,' Klaus growls, his voice much weaker than it would normally sound, 'but you should know the rest of my family _will_ stand against us in defence of _her_.'

'We will have to go through them,' she meets his eyes, 'are you prepared for that?'

Klaus stumbles forwards, though manages to stay on his feet as he snaps:

'They have more than earned everything that is to come,' he kneels afterwards, too weak to stay put, 'we need to hurry. Even now, Hayley is attempting to flee with my child.'

'Hmm,' Dahlia sighs, looking amused as she begins stirring herbs in a tar-like substance, 'don't worry. She won't get far tonight.'

A sudden crash of thunder echoes through the stone corridors of the basement, and Evelyn gets a feeling the storm to come is anything but natural.


End file.
